Blue Skies

Retiring.....for now at least

2009-03-01T14:59:00.003-05:00

I am posting an official notice today that I will not be updating this blog for the foreseeable future. Big surprise, I know, since I haven't updated in months. Please come visit me at my Facebook account, for I can write short blurbs there that aren't out of place and also see you, my friends too. I can also be found at jdemotte2000_at_yahoo_dot_com. With love,

Jessica

Celebrating Advent

2008-12-01T13:25:00.003-05:00

These are my new Advent Jesse Tree ornaments.

I had a set of ornaments that were handmade by a group of Sunday School Moms about 5 years ago but several weren't holding up very well and a few managed to get lost over the last few years.

A couple of years ago I saw a set similar to the ones I've made, but the price was more than I was willing to spend on something I was sure I could make myself. A couple of weeks ago I realized that I was running out of time if I was going to have new ones for this year. Using a couple different sources for pattern ideas I managed to come up with a set that match my Advent Jesse Tree book of devotions. After digging around for some leftover felt and my stash of embroidery thread that dates back to 1990, I got to work. I was so afraid I wouldn't be done by today that I worked diligently for 3 days and managed to get them knocked out before Thanksgiving. I am hoping these can be used for many many many years!!

I am pretty satisfied with this group and I can't wait to start tonight on our first day. Our devotion book does 25 devotions from December 1st until Christmas Day. We are starting with Creation and the first ornament will be the world.

To me the Christmas season can be stressful. My favorite parts are putting up our Christmas tree with all the ornaments we've collected over the years, baking Gingerbread Men, having our Advent devotions, and Christmas Eve services at church. Winding down each evening before putting the girls to bed with a story about God's plan for our redemption keeps my mind on the real reason for the season and away from the stress of all the "fun" that comes along with it!

What are your Christmas traditions?

Grateful Today for.....

2008-11-20T07:12:00.003-05:00

Canadian leaf show

I am grateful today for:

1. some cold weather. It truly feels like fall here in the Sunshine State and that is rare before Christmas! Brrr Chilly!!

2. feather comforters, food in the pantry, and a comfy house.

3. parents that taught me obedience. The value of that in my Christian walk is incalculable.

4. God's grace. For when obedience is difficult.

5. having friends and family scattered all over the US. My dream to travel the US in an RV is sweeter because I know that no matter where I go (in the US) I am not more than a 12 hour drive from someone I know and love.

6. homeschooling because it's cold outside and we don't have to get out until after lunch.

7. my husband who loves me way beyond what I deserve. How I love that man!

8. cold weather cooking - pumpkin bread, stews that simmer all day, gingerbread men, hot cider, mmmmmm........

9. three sweet girl's shining faces in the morning, still wrapped in sleepiness, carrying their favorite blankets out to greet the day, giving soft greetings of "Good morning, Mommy" with a still warm-from-the-bed embrace.

10. A husband, father, and provider who got up in the middle of the night to shower and head out the door for an out of town trip (for the second time this week), creeping around our bedroom quietly in the dark so I could still (try to) sleep.

You, Happier.

2008-10-19T15:03:00.005-05:00

I don't usually get aggravated enough by advertising to feel the need to blog about it but the Best Buy slogan the last few months really has me fired up. You might disagree with what I am about to say but I'm going for it anyway.

You, Happier.

The insinuation is that if you buy the stuff at their store you will be happier. Now, I know that is the premise behind all advertising. If you buy x, y, z you will have an infinitely happier, sexier, funnier, easier, more enjoyable , fill-in-the-blank, life. Apparently it is pretty successful for marketing. But, as I tell my girls all the time, that is an advertiser's job - to convince you to buy what you don't need with what you don't have.

I also know that retailers are hurting along with the rest of the economy right now. I'm sure they are pulling in a few notches on their belts too and doing what they can to bring more buyers into their stores. But this slogan is over the top.

My issue with this advertising campaign is how it perpetuates the notion that stuff buys you happiness. That is a patently false lie and completely out of place anytime but especially so in the current economic situation. Nothing can buy happiness. There are no stores that sell it, no manufacturers that make it, no potions that create it. Happiness does not reside in the consumption of stuff. Happiness is an emotion, temporal, fleeting, and dependent on circumstances. There are a lot of very unhappy wealthy people out there. As Americans we think we have a right to happiness but the Declaration of Independence only established our right to pursue it, it did not guarantee it. Our pursuit of that temporal idea has gotten us into some mighty fine messes. As we remain in pursuit of that temporal feeling we get ourselves deeper and deeper into trouble.

I think what people are really after is something completely different and found in a very different place than an Electronics Store.

I propose a different point of view. Me, Joyful.

JOY is unaffected by circumstances and is a view of life derived from an abiding faith in the One who has the whole world in his hands. We have joy when we trust in Him, the One True God, unchangeable and trustworthy. Galatians 5:22 tells us it one of the fruits of the Spirit, along with love, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness and faithfulness. Joy can be present in the midst of great suffering. Happiness is often not. Peace and Joy. These are feelings that everyone wants and God freely gives to those who love and trust in Him.

So, I'm sorry Best Buy - I'm not buying your faulty reasoning. I can be joyful, even happy, without the help of your stuff.

Canada and a shamless plug

2008-10-07T13:17:00.004-05:00

Domaine Pinnacle's apple orchard for their delicious Ice Cider. Just outside Frelighsburg, Quebec. I love the deep red hues of the apples contrasted with the green and then the splash of orange right behind! The wine was really delicious - so different than anything else we've ever tasted.

Head to my Facebook account (link in the title), open the photos tab, and you can see more Canada pictures. It takes too long to upload all these photos to more than one place, sorry.

We are back in our full swing in homeschool and activities this week. It feels good to be back in a more normal routine. Speaking of school, if you are an out of state reader and did not get the email I sent out recently our girls are doing a contest for our Classical Conversations group to see who can collect the most postcards from these three categories: Most states, most cities, most postcards. Surely we can manage to snag one of those categories with all the people we know, right? Not to mention the fact that ALL the girls in our house LOVE mail!

Sending hugs!

Oh Canada! Part 1

2008-10-01T16:08:00.006-05:00

Montreal

Day 1 - the view from our 27th floor room. Just Mike and me with an incredible city view.

The view from the Chateau Mont Royal in the middle of the city toward the St. Lawrence River. That was a really steep hike!

A building in Old Montreal - old City Hall I think.....

The Basilica of Notre Dame in Old Montreal.

On the plaza in Old Montreal with some of the beautiful fall color in the background.

I had a great post started about our trip but in trying to move it around and make it look pretty I lost it. I'll work on it some more later. Next installment will be Quebec City and surroundings. Let me just say, don't let 11 years go between extended trips away with your husband (like we did). It is money and time and effort well spent in a renewed relationship with your beloved. We pray we are able to do a trip like this again within the next two years......

School Days

2008-09-12T17:31:00.006-05:00

Hi all! I haven't made the paper yet as that crazy mom who was found muttering in the street about how her kids made her lose her mind. I'm not buried under mountains of books. Actually, we are doing well and I really enjoy teaching our girls at home. From most reports they are enjoying learning at home as well.

Homeschooling is absolutely all the work that people claim it to be. At least the way we are doing it (classically). The good news is that I am seeing some great academic progress. We just finished our 4th week of "official" schooling. I'm learning what works for our day and what doesn't. I'm sure that lots more tweaking will be done but so far, so good. I have no regrets.

I'm still a completely normal Mom and still miss that quiet part in my day that used to exist when the big girls were at school and Emily was in her room for a quiet time, but I'm trying to carve that out of a different place in my day - early in the morning. I certainly can't start my day without a quiet time now. I need that time in prayer and reading my Bible to make sure I start my day out on the right foot. There is a definite difference in the mood of our day when I take that time first thing. I do wish I had a grandparent or two around to come for a few hours a week so I can get out of the house by myself. A solo trip to the grocery store last week was way too enjoyable (I usually hate that chore!).

My favorite parts of homeschool, in no particular order:
I love re-learning (and sometimes for the first time) along with my girls. I've sure forgotten (or never learned) an awful lot!
I love reading all these good books together.
It is really cool to select a book for independent reading that first gets a wrinkled nose and rolling eyes but by time she's finished it, she is narrating the whole story to me with excitement.
It is awesome to hear my daughter tell me she loves math and watch her giggle with joy as she works through her worksheet.
I get so excited to do science with my girls because they are jumping out of the their skin with excitement to do a science experiment.
I love having our family bible study time in the morning, something we could never manage consistently when they were in "regular school". I'm learning so much about them just from listening to them share.

Lest you think I am a weirdo super homeschool mom, Emily is loving her traditional 3-day a week preschool (yes, she's at school!). She's painting and fingerpainting, playing with playdoh and swinging on the swings with other kids her age and having a ball. Her teacher is super sweet and Emily skips out of bed on school days. She's had it the roughest of all the girls with this change. She used to have Mommy all to herself during the day and when Sisters were home it was time to play. Now they stay home and she goes to school (MWF) and when they are home together (TT) the big girls are busy with school. I think going to school has been the perfect thing for her this year. If you ask her she'll say she goes to All God's Children AND does Homeschool because she gets to have the best of both worlds.

Sending out our love to you all!

I love chocolate

2008-07-15T19:31:00.004-05:00

An Emily funny for you.

Last Friday we were at the Pediatrician's office. It was an unusually crowded waiting room with only one seat left. I took the last seat with Emily on my lap. Right next to us was a chubby little black girl, maybe 18 months old, in a cute polka dot dress and the most beautiful brown eyes.

Emily immediately smiled and cheerily exclaimed "Look Mommy, there's my friend!". She chattered on about her beautiful polka dot dress and asked her name and talked about her pretty hair clips. The little girl never said a word but quietly shared her magazine with Emily.

We were called back very quickly and as Emily jumped up she said "Mommy, she looks like chocolate and I LOVE chocolate!".

I love my little three year old.

Packing!!

2008-07-14T17:31:00.002-05:00

There is so much to do to get ready for our annual trek to see our families.

Have you ever considered how much needs to be cleaned in order to travel? Clean clothes, clean van, a clean house, a clean pool. At least to travel with the least amount of stress during and after. I think the work to avoid the stress later is pretty stressful.

Also a bunch of lists: snacks to bring, stuff to buy, clothes to pack, entertainment to bring, people to talk to, bills to pay, "to do" when we get back home, "don't forgets", stuff for Bella's pet sitter...

Sheesh.

I love lists but I need a list to keep track of my list lately!

We are looking forward to getting out of town. As much as I love seeing all our loved ones, my favorite part is usually the long conversations I can have with my dear sweet man. We get interrupted an awful lot, but we can pick the conversation back up more easily when we are stuck sitting next to each other. We do all kinds of reflecting, dreaming, and planning on these trips since we are usually in the car at least 10 hours. It's a wonderful perk to a really long day of travel. Thankfully our girls are good travelers since they've done it since they were tiny.

My next favorite part of these trips is getting to see my girls interacting with their extended family - grandmas, grandpas, aunts, uncles, greats, cousins, Godparents. They are so blessed to have so many family members who really love them and enjoy spending time with them. I'm end up taking a back seat more and more as they forget all about me until I hunt them down for a healthy meal or bedtime. It is sweet.

I'm off to whittle away at those lists........

How do you school?

2008-07-09T19:50:00.007-05:00

Our family's idea of how to school has been turned on its ear these last few months. I never imagined that I would ever seriously consider homeschooling. I've admired people who do, I've wondered "how do they do it?", I've had all the usual arguments about socialization, school activities, influence of other wise adults, "I'm not cut out for it", "my kids wouldn't like it", etc. I've always ended those discussions with "But, if God were to call me to it I would do it, I just don't feel called to do it right now."

Well, God seems to have called me to it. Much to our own amazement.

Here is some background for you. Our girls have been at a wonderful Christian school that cares very much about their character and the way they live out their own personal faith. Through the school our girls have gotten a very good start with A Beka's curriculum. It is affordable (as far as private school goes....).

But, we've always had in our hearts that we'd like to do a more Classical style of education. (If you'd like to learn more about it there is a great article about Classical education here.) We have prayed for our girls to have mastery of the tools they will need to learn anything as well as the ability to logically and articulately share it with others. We believe the ability to learn (or teach yourself) is a skill that is not valued in today's society. In today's world our information to comes in little, easily digested, sound bites and videos, rarely unbiased. The ability and desire to pursue knowledge and discover fallacies is disappearing. If it isn't on CNN or the Yahoo news page it isn't known. When you learn how to learn the dependence on others to tell you what you need to know is lessened. You are more able to discern truth from well constructed lies.

The world is becoming more and more about relativism with no absolute truth. The ability to discern truth and share about it articulately is not valued anymore. But it is vitally important if you are going to be able to stand firm in what you believe, not swayed with every new thought and theory that comes your way. It is the way many of the bright minds of the past were educated - think George Washington as one example. Just a short survey of the writings from the time of the American Revolution shows how well educated and grounded in their faith and beliefs our founding fathers were. (The Patriots Handbook by George Grant has some great examples.)

When children are born, they are born as sponges, ready to soak up and learn everything that comes in their path. They are particularly designed to memorize information. They memorize their mother's facial features as infants, they internalize the rules of how their family operates, they learn thousands of new words in short amounts of time. Memorization at this age, when they are adept at it, helps them to build those neural pathways that make learning easier the rest of their lives. It teaches them to store and easily retrieve large amounts of information. From the parts of speech, to the multiplication tables and on to the Periodic Table of Elements. All that information is permanently stored in their brains, ready and waiting for when they are in the "why" stage (middle school) and can logically piece it all together. Much in the same way that we know our ABC's and or the colors in the rainbow (ROY G BIV anyone?) they can learn a multitude of facts at this age.

We first learned about Classical Education when we were in Fort Worth, TX. Our hope has always been to find an equivalent school here in Florida. Unfortunately, the closest private schools that teach this way are an hour or more from our home, so it has been an impractical choice for our family. We've prayed about a school to open here, we've talked with our private school some about it, and we've even considered starting our own school (a very short discussion!). We actually thought we would be returning to Texas by now, so in the back of our minds we had hopes that we'd be in an area that had a classical school by time our oldest was in 3rd grade.

Obviously plans have not worked out as we expected. Mike is currently in a position that will leave us here for another several years. There still isn't a private school. But, there is a new homeschool option for Classical education called Classical Conversations. It is a co-op, kind of, where families work together to accomplish solidly nailing down what is needed in the "grammar stage": the vocabulary and grammar of math, science, history, English, Latin, music, and art. They'll also get to do some public speaking, science experiments, and participate in art enrichment as a part of a larger group of people. It meets once a week and the rest of the week is at home doing math, language arts, history, languages, and whatever else you want to supplement with. This group suddenly made the idea of teaching a Classical curriculum at home look "do-able" to me!.

This past year I have observed a good friend and neighbor while she taught her kids (ages 5, 8, and 11) this way. They have learned an amazing amount of information in a short 24 weeks. They readily and easily share what they've learned (the whole years worth!). I would have thought the kids would be bored with learning nearly a thousand facts but they have only good things to say about their experience.

I'm certainly aware of how much work this means for me. I also know that there will be bad days when I'm wondering why I signed up for this. But I also know that the call to do this is clear. I have no doubts (anymore!). We aren't looking to create little clones or intellectual snobs. We are hoping to impart a real love of learning along with the tools to do so. We want them to know that Christ is in everything, even math. I am excited about knowing well what my girls are learning each day. Being able to learn along with them in the areas where my own education has gaps. Teaching them things that excite all of us. Having more control of our schedule and the freedom to travel more often. Spending less on school expenses each year! Being able to move at the pace of learning that suits them individually (whether faster or slower). These are just some of the benefits I can see for our family. The homeschooling community here is strong and has great support from the community at large. I definitely won't have to go far when we need help.

So, our school this year will be at our dining table in the morning. Afternoons will be for PE, field trips, and extra-curricular activities. Our own little one-room schoolhouse.

Tutus and slippers

2008-06-17T06:48:00.004-05:00

Saturday was the big day. The whole reason they persevered in lessons all year. The Dance Recital. The day when they got to wear their pretty costumes, dance on stage, get bouquets, and best of all..... wear makeup!

Anna's dance was to "When I wish Upon a Star" and she was chosen (randomly) to be the fairy who woke the other fairies up with her wand. The spotlight shone on her first as she began to dance - how fun! She's grown so much in dance this past year. Her teacher says "She really gets it". Next year she is excited to continue to Ballet II and start Tap. She'd love to do Jazz too but there's only so much time......

Sarah's class were all in different costumes. Their theme was Stuffed Animals and she was a bumble bee. She was absolutely the most adorable bee you've ever seen. Watch out Jerry Seinfeld! She had such a big smile on during the performance and remembered everything. It is so awesome to see our shy Sarah shine on stage.

Little Miss Emily is anxiously awaiting when her own dance classes start next year. She was so attentive to all the dances during ALL the rehearsals AND the show. During intermission she danced up and down the aisles. I'm quite certain she was coveting some of the costumes she saw as well! This little one is in a leotard (or bathing suit substitute) half the day. When the big girls were getting into their costumes she made sure to put her own pretty leotard and slippers on so she could be ready for the recital too. You can be sure she wanted the coveted makeup as well but now she has something to look forward to.

A Meme inspiration

2008-06-10T15:27:00.002-05:00

A meme from my friend at La Vida Dulce:

In your entire life, have you ever...

gone on a blind date? No

skipped school? Yes

watched someone die? Yes

been to Canada? yes

been to Mexico? Yes

been to Florida? uh...yeah :-)

been on a plane? Yes

been lost? Oh my goodenss, yes!

been on the opposite side of the country? Yes

gone to Washington, DC? Yes

swam in the ocean? Yes

had your booze taken away by the cops? Hmmmm...NO!

lettered in a high school sport? No

cried yourself to sleep? Yes

played cops and robbers? No

played dolls? Yes

recently colored with crayons? Yes

sang Karaoke? Never

paid for a meal with coins only? Yep

done something you told yourself you wouldn't? Gosh yes. I'm a sinner you know!

cheated on an exam? I don't think so but I know I've certainly been tempted

made prank phone calls? No - could never pull it off

laughed until some kind of beverage came out of your nose? Yes - yuck

caught a snowflake on your tongue? MMM HMMM

danced in the rain? No

written a letter to Santa Claus? Of course!

been kissed under the mistletoe? absolutely

watched the sunrise with someone you care about? Yes

been arrested? Never

blown bubbles? Yes

gone ice-skating? Yes, and my girls are getting interested in it now too.

been skinny dipping outdoors? No, too shy

had a nickname? Jess. I DO NOT like Jessie - too much Dukes of Hazzard growing up.

been to Africa? No

eaten cookies for dinner? And breakfast. And lunch. And snack. Cookies know no boundaries!

been on TV? Not that I know of.

stolen any traffic signs? No

been in a car accident? only fender benders.

What is your...

mother's name? Janis

favorite drink? Iced Tea

birthplace? Germany

favorite vacation spot? Mountains.

favorite salad dressing? My own vinegar and olive oil with seasoning.

favorite pie? Cherry

favorite number? 27

favorite movie? Sound of Music

favorite holiday? Easter

favorite food? mmm..... does chocolate count?

favorite day of the week? Saturday

favorite brand of body wash? Burts Bees ginger citrus

favorite toothpaste? Crest Complete

favorite smell? fresh bread baking

Do you have any...

tattoos? No, and I don't think I ever will....

body piercings? Ear lobes.

Do you drive a 2-door or 4-door vehicle? 4 door mini-van

What do you do to relax? Read, hang out with friends, watch a movie.

How do you see yourself in 10 years? Completely immersed in the hormones and needs of 3 teen aged girls!

Tag! You're it! If you play please comment and let me know where to find your meme!

Sarah's Spotlight

2008-06-08T07:46:00.005-05:00

Sarah has had a busy several weeks with Kindergarten Graduation and then turning SIX years old.

She is so quiet about school activities that we were very surprised to see she had a prominent role in the little play The Story of the Little Red Hen. In fact, she WAS the Little Red Hen. Who knew our little shy Sarah could stand in front of such a large audience and perform without the slightest nervousness. This Mama Hen and Papa Rooster were very proud of her.

A few days later her long awaited Birthday rolled around. She invited all her girlfriends to join her at the Dollar Movie to see Horton Hears a Who and then have sorbet and ice cream. I was very proud to hear her strenuously object to making her invitation list shorter because she didn't want anyone to be left out. She has such a tender heart for others. She doesn't seek the spotlight but is so gracious and kind when she finds herself in it.

This middle daughter of mine continually amazes me with her strength and determination. She simply won't give up. Of course, with certain situations that is frustrating as a parent, but we know that trait will help her go very far so we are doing our best to help guide her towards the wisdom to know when to let go. We see it most when she is applying herself to learning new things and also when she has to avoid gluten and dairy. Everyone tells me how amazed they are when she politely inquires whether what they are offering her eat is gluten and dairy free. When she isn't sure she abstains until she gets confirmation from me. Not every six year old is that self disciplined!

She is also very compassionate towards others. She is free with her hugs. Her smile lights up her whole face, making it impossible to not smile along with her. She has a strong interest in cooking and is usually at my elbow in the kitchen asking what she can do to help. She is also brave, valiantly jumping in at times when other kids would hang back and just watch.

Sarah has a lot of challenges but she never lets them stop her. Since she was a baby we've witnessed her determination and heart. We've heard many times about "middle child syndrome" but I've never had reason to worry about her. She can stand on her own and will make sure she gets what she needs without a lot of fanfare. No one could ever forget our Sarah!

Meme Response

2008-05-13T07:41:00.002-05:00

My blogging inspiration, La Vida Dulce has invited readers to participate in a Meme. Since I often wonder what I should post about I figured this might be fun for me and for you.

What were you doing ten years ago?
I was eagerly anticipating my first anniversary. We had just moved to Ft. Worth, TX about 5 months earlier. We were haggling with the landlord of our duplex about fixing the stove that had dead cockroaches in the ancient analog style clock, the dishwasher that worked better as a dish drainer, and the washing machine that wouldn't actually clean anything. We were about to leave on our first anniversary trip, a surprise planned by Mike that took us to Hot Springs, Arkansas. It seems like a million years ago!

What are 5 things on your to-do list?
1. Mending - Emily has several outfits that need to be taken in (skinny little thing....), a few missing buttons, a broken ribbon strap on Sarah's Easter dress.
2. Phone calls to the VBS coordinator and also to my co-ministry coordinator.
3. Menu and grocery list for week
4. Filing
5. Getting the outgrown toys and clothes out of the garage and into someone else's hands.

What are 5 snacks you enjoy?
1. chocolate - although that is more of a treat than a snack
2. homemade popcorn
3. crisp apple slices with peanut butter
4. Chips and salsa
5. cheese

What would you do if you were a millionaire?
Hmmmmm...... Donate more to the hungry and homeless through either Samaritan's Purse or Compassion International. Travel frequently to see friends and family. Fully fund the accounts for the girl's college savings. Take care of the nagging maintenance issues in our house. If there was enough after those things I would remodel the kitchen and our bathroom.

Name some of the places you’ve called home.
Home is an interesting term. To me home is where my heart is, so I'd first have to say I haven't yet lived in the home that my heart yearns for the most- Heaven. Here on Earth though, home is definitely in the State of Texas. I've also lived in Germany, the Philippines, England, Finland, Maryland, and now Florida.

What are some of your bad habits?
Oh, the list is long although I'm trying to whittle away at it. I'll spare myself the deep public scrutiny and narrow it down to three. I tend to try to ignore problems in the hope they will magically disappear. I can get so lost in a book that I neglect what needs to be done until the book is finished. The only reason that doesn't get me into more trouble is because I do read very quickly. I'm a "picker". I hate - please don't be grossed out - scabs, stray hairs, anything that doesn't feel right and I have the scars to prove it. Unfortunately Emily seems to have inherited this tendency. I'm really trying to break these habits! Nothing like accountability to give you motivation.

What are some jobs you’ve held?
Gourmet food/coffee shop clerk (before Starbucks was even concieved). Veterinary Technician, Secretary at a group home organization for the mentally retarded, Pediatric RN

Who are you tagging?
Kellie already tagged most of the ones who actually read my blog (and have a blog themselves). I think littlepeanutkim might be willing though.

Bella vs The Squirrel

2008-05-05T10:48:00.001-05:00

IN ANNA'S (EXACT) OWN WORDS:

Guess what! On Sunday May 4th my mom saw Bella going all crazy near the pool. She said to us "look at Bella she's going crazy over something in the pool." We looked out the windo and we saw Bella going crazy over a squirrel. A squirrel had gotten through a hole in the screened in porch that we did not know about and had fallen into the pool. We went outside and looked at the squirrel for a few seconds. Then the squirrel got in the filter so we lifted the lid off the top and we saw the squirrel holding itself up by it's front claws on its back on the side of the filter. After that we looked for something we could use to get the squirrel out with. When we were searching my mom said, 'the squirrel is out" and we rushed outside. Sure enough the squirrel was out of the pool. My dad had got the squirrel out and was on the screen and my dad was chasing it with our pool brush. Finally it went back through the hole. "Finally", I said.

On Spring, Bugs, and an Eight Year Old

2008-04-14T15:53:00.006-05:00

Isn't it amazing that cacti produce these gorgeous flowers? God knows how to protect his most beautiful creations with those unfriendly thorns. We found this particular one on a hike while camping this past weekend.

In other news, Anna celebrated 8 years of life on March 31st. She is so smart, eager to be independent, desires to know the Lord more, loves to shop and play with her sisters, is a good friend, and also beautiful. On her birthday she got to have a family celebration where she chose eggs, biscuits and gravy for breakfast and Papa Johns pizza and brownies for her dinner. She is really into wearing jewelry now so her Dad and I got her a little silver ring and necklace to match. It is hard to see but if you look carefully you can see the little ring on her right hand. She was very excited!

A few days later she had a howling good time with seven of her friends in a puppy/kitty themed sleep-over. My dear friend, Lianne, came over Friday night to help with crafts and then again Saturday morning to paint the girls as a cat or dog. They went home complete with ears and ID tags. It was a very busy night but loads of fun for everyone. I was very proud to see Anna encourage her friends to bring items to donate to the local animal shelter. (The picture is missing two girls who only stayed for the evening.)
In other good news, the cast came off last Thursday and she gets to resume bike and scooter riding this next weekend.

My dear friend, Lianne, after the big girls went home, allowed Emily to paint her to look like "The Bad Witch" from the Wizard of Oz. She's a pretty special friend to Emily to permit it. As demonstrated by the fact that she left and ran errands with her "black kitty" daughter around town for several hours before going home to wash. THAT is a pretty special love!

Camping at Little Manatee River State Park. It was buggy but fun was had by all. Then we came home Sunday to actually get some sleep. I don't know how anyone can do more than two nights in a tent! I'm going to invest in ear plugs and super strength bug spray before our next trip.

Sarah has lost her two middle bottom teeth and looks so cute. She is also sporting her new replacement glasses which we think are gorgeous. The new specs shows off her big beautiful blues to perfection.
Emily LOVED playing in the dirt. She was filthy. Her cute little pony tails were completely droopy by the end of the day after wearing a hat in the sweaty sun but she is still totally cute. Makes you want to just squeeze her! She was adamant at bedtime that she have her pjs and when it was morning she needed her clean clothes and a trip to the potty. The girl knows what she wants!

The tale of the wiggly tooth....

2008-03-25T17:05:00.002-05:00

There was once a little girl who thought she had a wiggly tooth.

The problem was she was only 2 1/2. Her nearly 5 year old sister had just lost her wiggly tooth and she really wanted to have one too.

As the years went by her sister went on to lose EIGHT wiggly teeth but she never had a wiggly tooth, even as much as she tried to make it wiggle.

She began to give up on the thought of ever having one of her own. She despaired of ever getting to have a tooth fairy visit and a shiny new coin to put in the piggy bank.

Her friends each started to lose a tooth. Then two teeth. But she still couldn't wiggle a tooth. Mommy and Daddy assured her that someday it would happen to her too.

But finally! at age 5 1/2 she had two teeth that were wiggling!

She tested those teeth every day to see if they were wigglier. She gave a regular report on the status of those teeth. She gave them regular wiggles to make them looser.

Then one day, a few months later, one was wiggly enough to push forward a little with her tongue. The next day at school she was wiggling and one of her friends asked if she needed help taking it out. She declined their offer but accepted the offer of her teacher who popped it right out. The brave little girl, when asked if it hurt, shrugged and said "Not so much."

Hurray!! She has joined the ranks of the toothless kindergardners and first graders the world over. She gets to keep her tooth in the cute little tooth shaped box the school gave her and then leave it by her bed for the tooth fairy to trade for a shiny coin.

The wait is on for wiggly tooth number two....... and little 3 year old sister is already inspecting her mouth for a wiggly tooth......

A Beautiful Day

2008-03-24T18:44:00.006-05:00

Our beautiful girls on a beautiful day.

I love Easter for so many reasons. It feels fresh and new. Maybe because Spring is popping up all over but I think it is the fresh realization that Christ's Resurrection freed me from my sin. A fresh slate of God's grace, available to me anytime I ask, but first realized on that beautiful morning when Mary when to visit the tomb of Jesus and found he wasn't there. He died on the cross that black Sabbath morning, carrying all my sins, and then rose again on the third day after conquering ALL sin, mine included. How can I not feel fresh and renewed when considering that awesome gift!?

I also love that the holiday is less about consumerism and more about just enjoying. (And chocolate.)

I love dressing up, sometimes in a new outfit for me, but usually something new for our girls. They are so excited to put on their beautiful new dresses and twirl around for our viewing pleasure. Their joy is plainly visible in their smiles and the extra bounce in their steps.

I never fail to cry during the worship service on Easter Morning. The songs, usually familiar, stir such an intense joy mingled with an fresh realization of how much my sin cost my Savior. Our church usually has an outdoor service so all three services are worshiping together in a large tent with a booming sound system. Your whole body gets into it! One older gentleman had such a real joy that he couldn't help BOUNCING like Tigger during one of the worship songs. Beautiful.

Following our service we ran home to wrap up the preparations for three couples who came over to enjoy an Easter ham with all the trimmings. Fun conversation, happily sugared children playing, yummy food. MMMMMMM.

A beautiful day.

First Break

2008-03-13T19:37:00.002-05:00

Kids are amazing creatures. How did God make them so tough and at what point in their lives does it wear off? We've experienced first hand this week how tough our oldest can be.

Anna fell on her right arm (she's left handed, thankfully) a week ago and complained of some discomfort that day but showed no other symptoms or complaints.

On Tuesday the 11th she fell on it again. This time apparently it really hurt and she went to the school office crying. She got an ice pack and was seemingly fine after that. So fine, in fact, she forgot to tell me she had fallen on it again until about 6 that night. It was obviously swollen but tender only when pressure or weight was applied to it. She had full range of motion in her hand and wrist and no discoloration (says Mommy RN who poked and prodded her every which way, poor thing!). We iced it again and decided to re-evaluate again in the morning.

Wednesday morning it was still swollen but still no complaints from "Miss Tuffy". After icing it again I was tempted to just send her off to school with a kiss and maybe an ace bandage but we didn't have an ace bandage. Surely if it was serious it would hurt more, right?

Then the two halves of me began to debate each other.

From the pediatric RN side - "she's not showing any signs of major pain, she has full range of motion."

From the Mommy side - "But it's still swollen and it could be sprained. What if it is actually broken?"

From the RN side - "Maybe it's best to just get it looked at to be sure."

From the Mommy side - "So the paranoid Mommy shows up at the doctors office again for something that turns out to be nothing?"

Finally the two halves merged and I made an appointment with the pediatrician for 1:30, after bible study and before school got out. I sent her on to school with an admonishment to not play hard on the playground and a note to the teacher about why.

When I picked her up I asked her how her arm felt, she said "ok. I did the monkey bars".

"What!????" "What in the world made you want to do that?"

To which she replied, "It only hurt the tiniest little bit and I only did two bars".

Sheesh.

The pediatrician looked at it and was undecided but, based on where she was tender, it was worthwhile to get an x-ray. So, off to the imaging center we all went (me and all three girls). An hour and a half later the films were done and lo and behold, it was a serious break to her distal radius. In non medical speak that is the end of the large bone in the forearm, closest to the wrist.

Amazing.

Mommy side kicked in here and was immediately thinking, "OK, we've got to get a cast on this quick". The orthopedic office, however, was perfectly comfortable with giving us an appointment for the next day at 2 PM.

Anna woke up today as excited as Christmas morning that today was the day she'd get "The Cast". I was praying that it would be a simple cast and not need setting, or worse, surgery.

In the end she got her much anticipated light blue, fiberglass, waterproof, short arm cast without much ado. The Orthopedist was impressed that she was not in more pain considering the extent of the injury, but says it isn't uncommon for kids. He said if it happened to an adult we'd have huge swelling and tons of pain.

She is so excited to have everyone sign it and to get to show it off to her friends and classmates. I'm glad she has such a great perspective about it all! I'm just amazed.

I'm Alive! I'm Alive!

2008-03-11T10:20:00.003-05:00

I have been sick since I last wrote on this blog.

It started out with a cough after a morning run in heavy pollen on a Tuesday. Within 4 days I was feeling cruddy and a fever soon followed and lasted the whole weekend. I thought I was finally on the mend on the 29th when we had a full day of Doctor appointments for Sarah and then a visit to a used car dealer (we replaced the Toyota! Details to follow). By time we got home that night I was in bed with a fever again that lasted all weekend (again). When the doctor's office finally opened on Monday I got the diagnosis of bronchitis and a serious sinus infection. Another 4 days or so later I finally had a little energy again. That was three weeks of my life during which I simply felt grateful when I could manage to stay out of bed for a while. Needless to say I missed that half marathon I was registered for on March 2nd.

Praise God for having good health on most days. Between seeing all the *really* sick children at the Children's Hospital and then having my own extended illness, I am really really grateful for the fact that I am a healthy person!! The nasty nasty cough and sinus drainage is finally clearing up. Now my rib cage needs to heal - I think I broke one with all that coughing!!

The bright spot in the last few weeks is that we found a used 2003 Honda Odyssey with leather, DVD, and only 46,500 miles on it. Now that we've done some needed routine maintenance on it we are praying for it to hold up at least as well as the Toyota.

Time travel

2008-02-20T13:59:00.005-05:00

My oldest daughter has been given the challenge by her ballet teacher to be able to do a split by Easter so we've been stretching together every day. I need the extra flexibility too so it is working out well for me too.

Last night as we were stretching I was reminded that I have a picture from "way back when" of me in my flag girl uniform doing a split. I wanted to prove to my nearly 8 (going on 24) year old daughter that I could actually do one once. You know, that I do know a little bit about what I am talking about...... even thought I don't get anywhere near a real split anymore.

I never found that picture but I found a few other ones that brought back all kinds of memories. I thought it might be fun to share two that I found with y' all. Today I'm not going quite as far back as being able to do the "real" splits. Just to the era of being a mother of "just one".

This is the weekend the Mommies went away and the Daddies were in charge. Oh! It was a such a sweet weekend. I honestly can't remember when this was, just that I'm certain my daughter must have been more than a year old because I didn't leave her while I was still nursing her (unlike sisters #2 and #3). I am so proud of these Daddies for stepping up to the plate so readily so the Mommies could have a retreat together. I bet they didn't realize what they helped get started! Such incredible blessings have come from this gathering of young Christian mothers.

Unhappy Raccoon

2008-02-14T17:04:00.003-05:00

This is a picture that was pasted on my husband's office window recently.

"Why?" You ask. Well, my husband has a reputation for being a practical jokester in the office, but this is one that was turned around on him. In fact, the whole story is one that is destined to go down in family lore.

Let's go back to the beginning.

My husband, since January, has been in a position that requires a lot of traveling around the state. Oftentimes he is coming home after dark. Last Thursday night my sweet man called to check in and tell me he was about an hour away from home. About 15 minutes later he called again and I had a sudden sense of dread.

He started out by reminding me of a conversation we had recently about how the Lord always provides what we need financially even when it ends up diverting money away from something we had planned. My first thought was "Thank goodness he didn't say he was in an accident" and the very next thought and question was "Did you get a ticket?".

"No," he said very slowly, "I just hit a raccoon and it took half my bumper off".

"Are you serious!?"

"Yes."

"Are you ok?"

"Yes."

A let out a huge sigh of relief and when he got home we both marveled at the kind of damage an animal can do to your car. We both praised God that he didn't lose control of his car, that it didn't cause any worse damage or any other accidents on busy Interstate 75.

The next morning we called his company who informed us that it is our responsibility to cover the cost of repairs since they do encourage people to rent cars for long trips (which, of course, he will definitely be doing from now on!).

The next call was to our auto insurance agent. This is where it gets interesting so bear with me....

After my husband explained what happened the agent said "Is there fur on the bumper?"

"What?"

"Is there fur on the bumper. There is a lot of fraud from people claiming to have hit an animal when they actually ran into something. Comprehensive deductibles are cheaper than Collision so they lie to get the lower deductible."

Unfortunately neither we, nor the repair shop found any fur. Or blood. Too bad there aren't kits sold to find occult blood of raccoon on bumpers and CSI is probably not interested in helping us out with this.

So, to cover our bases, we drove back down to the Scene of the Crime to take pictures and hopefully find some proof that it was, indeed, an animal that caused the damage.

As my husband was standing along I75 with cars whizzing by so fast that the van was rocking, Emily and I were sitting inside the van, watching as he picked up the strewn pieces of his bumper and took pictures of the dead offending animal. We were completely amazed that it was still there, right on the side of the road 17 hours after the accident. It must have looked like a peaceful and sweet critter to Emily who asked "Mommy, can I get out and pet the Kitty". I smiled and explained that it wasn't a kitty, it was the raccoon that hurt Daddy's car. She then said "OH! It is dead then. Yucky!" It truly looked as if it had just stopped to take a nap on the side of the road.

To top the whole scenario off, just as Mike had loaded the last piece of his bumper into the back of the van he found a piece of the jaw just laying there right by the passenger door of the van. He grabbed a plastic baggy and, turning it inside out like a glove over his hand, grabbed it and enclosed it in the bag as further proof for the insurance company. You can imagine the reaction that got from our 7 year old daughter! "EWWW!!!!" and then immediately "Can I see it?!!!!".

When the insurance adjuster finally made it over to the body shop he didn't even make an issue about whether it was really an animal that was hit. I had to ask him if he needed proof and he calmly said, "No, I've hit 2 deer and 2 racoons in my lifetime, I can tell that's what this is."

OK. "Are you sure you don't want to see the proof we drove 2 hours round trip to get?"

"No."

Moral of the story -
When you hit an animal on the highway going 75 MPH stop long enough to take pictures and throw the critter in the trunk. You might need it.

Happy Birthday Emily!

2008-02-12T13:48:00.001-05:00

Happy Birthday sweet girl! I am really not ready for you to be three years old yet. You are my baby. Yet you keep marching on toward becoming the big girl you talk so much about. Your birthday party theme of Princess fits you in so many ways. You love fashion, you love people, you have a tender heart toward those who are hurting, and best of all, you already know that the best kind of Princess is to be a child of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, God's little Princess. I am so very proud to be your Mommy.

Out with the Old

2008-02-01T16:22:00.000-05:00

The old pink and green couches are gone. In with the new leather couch and cute little target chairs.

Out with the old rack and pinion steering system on our ten year 180,000 mile old van. In with the new one, followed soon by the timing belt and quite possibly (as a result) a newer minivan. Out with that pesky amount of money that didn't have a known purpose before.

Out with the old vacation plan of Europe or Wine Country or Canada and in with the new, as yet unknown, vacation plan (or not).

Out with "I plan to...." and in with "God's plan is....". It's guaranteed to be bettter so why does it come as such a shock to learn my plan isn't the same as his?

Falling Apart

2008-01-24T14:17:00.000-05:00

What is it that causes things to start disintegrating all at the same time?

For example. I've been running (regularly) for about 1 year and 10 months. I've had my ups and downs but with regularly scheduled chiropractor visits I'm still hanging in there. This week I've had an unexpected and unexplained, new (as opposed to old familiar), pain in my shins and calves. To the point where I actually had to *gasp* break down and take medicine just so I could walk without wincing. This coincided within days of my left wrist unexpectedly and unexplainedly beginning to hurt in any position I had it. This is bad guys!

Thankfully the Chiropractor adjusted my wrist (carpal tunnel apparently) and it's mending. Some rest and massage are helping my legs. Is this what its like once you've crossed over that magic number 35?

In addition, as I was giving my house a good thorough cleaning this week I found a dozen things new items to add to our home maintenance list. Good grief! That list was already long enough Thank You Very Much! The hot water heater and the sprinkler system repairs took an unexpected chunk out this month already. Oh, I almost forgot the silly automatic pool cleaner that took a piece too.

My van is leaking power steering fluid in the floor of the garage.

It seems unexpected expenses happen every year right about the time the Tax Refund comes in. Is it just me?

Help me out here...

2008-01-15T13:36:00.000-05:00

I haven't completely forgotten that I have a blog. I've actually been thinking about it quite a lot. I can feel the neglect of this blog project I've started with the same keenly guilty conscience that I have about my scrapbooks right now.

SO, since I haven't been able to come to a full conclusion in my own mind on this matter, I'm calling you to help me out.

Dilemma One:
Who actually reads this? I think it is about 6 people (if I'm counting correctly). I'm not sure anyone else actually has the time or interest to do so. I have a hard time getting replies to just emails and those actually arrive at someone's inbox and don't have to be searched out.

Dilemma Two:
I've read that a blog needs a focus. An area of personal interest that may also interest readers. Here are my main "passions", if you will.
a. My own personal relationship with God.
b. Being a wife and a mother at home as well as staying connected with extended family and friends.
c. Ministering to women - fellowshipping with, teaching, learning with, hanging out with, growing with. Especially wives and mothers but also raising little women since I have three in my own house!
d. Physical fitness and health - I've been regularly exercising for 2 1/2 years and running for nearly two. I've done several 5Ks, two half marathons and two half marathons. I have another half marathon scheduled March 3rd. I am an RN but also have an interest in "alternative/holistic/natural/preventative medicine.
e. Travel - I love to go places and hear about others travels. Missions and Missionaries are fascinating to me as well.
f. Reading - I'll read the shampoo bottle if that is all that is handy. I LOVE to read.
g. I have a growing interest in finance and money management as well.

I don't know if I can write enough on just one of these topics and not bore you silly or write so infrequently that you lose interest. How do I narrow the focus down or create the thread that ties it all together and makes someone want to come back to check out what is new?

Dilemma Three - as I previously posted, I love dialogue. I don't want to just "run at the mouth" on a public blog without feedback. Maybe if the first two dilemma's are resolved this one will eventually work out as more people (hopefully) read.

My ultimate desire is for a forum like this to be a place where I can share what is going on in my life, in my head, and in my heart and for others to blessed by it. I don't want to just talk to the wind.

Do you have any insight for me?

In closing , I'll put a few fun pictures on here because this is the only place I seem to "scrapbook" in any form lately!
Gingerbread men, a tradition since 1992

New PJ's on Christmas Eve, a tradition carried on from my family

January 13th
Proof that you never know what you'll get weather-wise in Florida in January! Emily wanted to wear her new "winter" dress and Sarah decided to wear last year's halter style Easter dress. Emily was dressed for the calendar and Sarah was dressed for the temperature. Who were we to argue?! The extra little girl was Sarah's friend who came to sleep over the night before.

What do I want to be.....

2007-11-29T18:58:00.000-05:00

I've taken a break from the blog to try to determine what my blog "personality" is. I feel a bit "multi-personality" right now. It may result in my withdrawal from the blog world and just keep my own family webpage going. I'll let you know the result once I decide. I'm thinking that since I am very much an in-person kind of girl, the voyeuristic aspect of the blog world may just not suit me. I like face to face (or at least voice to voice) , tennis match volley, conversing type conversations. I'm finding blogging is like those BC comics where the guy writes a sentence, sticks it in a bottle, sends it out, and hopes for a response.

A little taste of sweetness

2007-11-01T10:17:00.001-05:00

Whatever your view of Halloween is, you can't help but love the little ones all excited and dressed up! Our own personal Pirate Princess, Alice in Wonderland, and Ballerina Princess (of course)!

Sorry about the blurriness, but I wanted to capture the beauty of this pumpkin. Anna chose the design and my husband freehand drew and then carved it. Wow.

Our pumpkin collection. Since we were gone to our church's Trunks with Treats celebration these three cuties were all the trick or treaters to our door were treated to. Fortunately we didn't get any tricks!

Emily is an endless supply of stories for y'all. She has the biggest sweet tooth in Florida and last night was in candy heaven, as you can imagine! Apparently all that indulgence caused her to have trouble sleeping last night. Mike was woken sometime around Midnight with a light shining on the patio outside our room. He went into the living room to investigate and found Emily happily playing with her toys out there. He shooed her back to bed and we all went back to sleep. This morning she denied any knowledge of her nighttime adventures and then went into her room and came out with this outfit on. She is turning into quite the fashion Diva. Incidentally, the ladies that help with the YMCA childcare area told me that she seems tired today. I wonder why?!!!

Tennis Shoe

2007-10-23T19:42:00.000-05:00

We've had a cold tear through our home in the last week. It started with Sarah, who got over it the quickest, and then moved to me, Anna, and Emily. I love the whole family sharing thing - just not this particular variety.
You might be wondering why I am sharing this with the world but it is some important background info for what I'm about to tell you next.
We were driving to school the other day and I hear from behind my seat, where Emily sits, "Mommy!! I need a tennis shoe!!"
I replied "We didn't bring your tennis shoes, Emily, you Crocs are on the floor where you dropped them".
She replied back "Mommy, I NEED a tennis shoe!"
To which I replied "Emily, you don't need a tennis shoe, we are just taking the girls to school and then going home".
"Mommy, I have boogers!! I need a tennis shoe"
Then Anna pipes up "She means a tissue Mommy, her nose is running!"
There you go. When your nose runs, you need a tennis shoe. Now I get it.

A Gluten Free Pantry

2007-10-18T12:51:00.001-05:00

Yep, you are actually looking at my pantry. After a long, long, long, prayerful search for what has been causing our Sarah's health issues (belly, gut, and growth related) we have decided to try the non-invasive non-traditional-medicine route. Earlier this year she was tested for Celiac Disease - she had the pint of blood taken and also a small bowel follow through and biopsy. Celiac disease is an auto-immune disorder where the proteins found in wheat, barley, and rye cause your body to turn on itself, destroying the small intestines. Thankfully, she does not have any visible intestinal damage but she had enough lab work elevated just enough to make you go "hmm??" in addition to having one of the main genes for Celiac. We pondered our options all summer and starting in August removed all dairy proteins from her diet. Since we knew she was milk intolerant as a baby we thought this was a good place to start. After two months with minimal changes for her we made the decision go ahead and take the plunge to full blown gluten-free. The decision was solidified when we realized that I also have genes for gluten intolerance AND Celiac and my mother has multiple food allergies including wheat, corn, soy, and rice.

So, Sarah and I are strictly gluten free until at least early January. We're going to give it a three month trial to see if it makes any difference. We've been at it one week and two days. It is a major change but I'm getting the hang of it, slowly. The best part is that I now have a beautifully clean kitchen. It kind of felt like the Jewish Passover when I was cleaning and sweeping my house of all leavening (not to make light in any way of this very holy practice for Jews). Apparently to do it right is a major undertaking where no surface that touches food is left uncleaned. This is just about what I did to make my kitchen "gluten-free". So, the benefit to me is that my drawers, pantry and cabinets are now the cleanest they have been since we moved in (maybe even cleaner). I even had to get rid of a few items that couldn't be assured of being cleaned of all gluten. So, I got the pleasure of replacing some items with brand new. Aside from the cost, it has been fun to shop for cutting boards, colanders, etc... again since I really haven't had the need since we got married 10 years ago. For the record, we're gluten free at home and in the car (have you ever seen a minivan without a whole loaf of bread in crumb form on the floor?) but only Sarah and I adhere to it outside of our house.

The downside is that gluten free flours and packaged products carry a significant premium in price and some are not really good replacements for the old gluten-filled favorites. The upside of that is that were eating more whole and unrefined foods which is better for us anyway!

So, if you will, please pray for us that we receive clear indications of whether this new avoidance diet is beneficial for one or both of us. It is totally ok with me to avoid gluten forever if it means Sarah will be as healthy as God designed her to be.

A weekend in Alabama

2007-10-11T19:42:00.000-05:00

The Girls with their Granna and Grandpa on Cheaha Mountain

The gathered Strange Clan

More views from Cheaha

The Theme for the weekend was Pirates.
I think my girls make very credible pirates, don't you?

We spent last weekend at the Strange Family Reunion in Alabama. It changed locations and dates this year. Instead of the blazing hot Alabama summer it moved to the kind of warm Alabama fall. We also moved from Oak Mountain State park to Cheaha State Park. The change of venue was awesome. Here are a few pictures to share. For those who've never been to Alabama, Cheaha is the highest point in Alabama and had some really cool views. The Strange Family is doing well and it was good to see everyone again. Some day soon maybe I'll catch up at home after being gone 5 days in the middle of the school year.

Happy Birthday Grandma Nickell

2007-09-28T13:50:00.000-05:00

Mike's Grandma Nickell is the same age as my Granny. She turns 80 this weekend. She is a wonderful woman who lives alone now since her husband, Grandpa, died a couple of years ago. I'll never forget, the very first time Mike introduced me to them, Grandpa walked right up to me on their big porch, gave me a hug and a scratchy kiss on my cheek and said "Michael I can tell why you love her, she's looks sweet enough to eat!"
Grandma still lives in an old "company" house they had moved to a piece of property on the outskirts of Seguin Texas. It has those seams in the walls you see on a mobile home except it isn't a mobile home. I am quite certain that nothing has changed significantly in that house in at least 20 years. She lives the epitomy of the simple life. Whenever we are at her house we feel the peace of not having to rush around. The food is often homegrown and homestyle, the entertainment is conversation for the grown ups and exploration for the kids, bedtime is a fun time in her huge old tub (no shower) and then bunking up all together in one room with the window unit. You would think our girls would mind but they love Grandma Nickell's because she loves them. It is all that matters. We wish we could be there to help honor her 80 years of loving.

A favorite picture

2007-09-26T14:43:00.000-05:00

This is Sarah in August 05 - she was just three. Her teacher sent a wonderful mid-term progress report home today. Her teacher recognizes some of Sarah's best traits - "I love Sarah's sweet heart. She will raise her hand in class just to say "I love you, Mrs. B" She is an excellent student, diligent in her school work. When we play games she does very well." This describes Sarah at home as well.

We are praying for some answers related to her tummy troubles and feel we have a direction to go now, but we are continuing to pray as well that the Lord would heal her and not have her feel any discomfort anymore.

By the way, the bran flax muffins were awesome but next time I'm going to make the carrot shreds smaller - Anna wasn't so crazy about the idea of eating carrots in muffins so I'm hoping to hide them in there better.

Menu Monday

2007-09-24T13:18:00.001-05:00

Taking an idea from Living to Tell the Story Blog here is my menu plan for the week:

Monday - shrimp scampi over linguine with green salad
Tuesday - pot roast with carrots and potatoes
Wednesday - picnic with turkey sandwiches on italian bread, chips, fruit
Thursday - kung pao chicken on lo mein noodles
Friday - homemade pizzas with olives, italian sausage, onions, bell peppers, mushrooms
Saturday - Kindergarten fellowship potluck - not sure what I need to bring for that yet...
Sunday - grilled chicken over green salad

I also plan to make Bran Flax Muffins as an alternative to store bought granola bars for breakfast, as well as apple breakfast bread for a snack, and maybe a flourless chocolate cake (if I find the time).

My grocery gaming is going fairly well so far. I've saved about $250 this month compared to the average of the last 12 months for us. My per trip percentages are at about 30% off shelf price but I think I am shopping smarter too which is helping. I'd love to get my percent savings even lower but we may go gluten-free soon for Sarah so I don't know if that will be possible with needing to buy some specialty foods. I think at the very least I should be able to save in other areas to help off-set the cost of gluten free foods and even more produce.

Let Heaven Rejoice!

2007-09-22T14:54:00.000-05:00

There is another soul marked for heaven as of Wednesday this week - our sweet Sarah prayed to receive Jesus as her Savior!

In quite the round-about fashion it started while Anna was at ballet and I had just gotten back in the minivan with Emily and Sarah. Before we had even pulled out of the parking lot Sarah started by telling me that her school prayer partner told her she is an "angel". Before I knew it she was saying she wanted to "pray that prayer where your sins are gone and you get to go to heaven, Can I do that now Mommy?". Then came a few more questions like "Will Jesus take me to heaven from the van?" "How does Jesus get into your heart?"

All this is taking place in our minivan on the way to Wednesday night church. Sarah was sitting in the third row and Emily was chattering away in the middle row.

She had asked a similar question several months ago, again while we were driving, and I had asked her if we could wait until we got home and Daddy could be with us. She agreed but then had completely forgotten about it by time we got home so we didn't press it. This time I didn't want to put her off. I only asked her if we could wait until we got parked so I could pray with her right next to me.

With a big beaming smile she said she wanted Jesus to clean the sins from her heart and to come live there forever. We got to prayed together which was a moment I'll never forget. Right before she bounced off into church she asked, in typical Sarah fashion, "Can Emily pray that prayer so she can have Jesus in her heart too?".

My heart is full to bursting with joy because another of our daughters has made the most wonderful choice of her (now eternal) life.

Budget, Groceries, and other Ugly Stuff

2007-09-17T11:56:00.000-05:00

I am a close cousin to the Ostrich. The kind that bury their head in the sand when they are in danger (which is apparently a myth, but anyway...). The area of my life that consistently has me eating and breathing sand is in the area of budgeting. When things are moving along well in our financial world, I don't mind keeping my budget up to date. When unexpected things pop up and our budget starts to blow its borders I get more and more reluctant to even look at it. I'll find all kinds of excuses to not work on it. I know in my brain that not looking at it isn't going to make it any better, but that Ostrich in me likes to pretend it does. Usually it results in the problem getting worse. Isn't that true in all things?

Last week I finally gave in to the internal prodding (Holy Spirit's conviction!) to "unbury" myself both figuratively and literally. The desk area was looking more like the recycle bin every day. What I found at the bottom of that pile was not pretty. We use Mvelopes for our budgeting (based on Money Matters from Crown Financial Ministries, a cash/envelopes based system). I had to zero out every. single. category. We are a "carry no-credit" type family. Not that we don't use credit cards, but we don't carry credit from month to month. This means that what is in the checking account must cover what is on the MasterCard. This month that means that all our backlog of savings disappeared. Yikes. I'm glad I "unburied" my head now before we were paying the interest.

This prompted several changes in our household. The first of which was to take advantage of the bundled savings through Verizon for phone, Internet, TV. Should save us about $50-60 a month. The second was to start figuring ways to shave the grocery bill. A friend in Texas had started doing the Grocery Game. A friend in Texas had blogged about how she was saving significant money on groceries and household items by using the Grocery Game LIST to maximize coupons to stockpile things at rock bottom pricing. I've been doing it about 2 weeks and have saved about 30% so far (doubled my previous per trip savings) and it looks like I'll manage to save even more once I have collected more coupons. Lastly I'm looking to figure out how to save on our next biggest expenditure - gifts. Our biggest gift giving season is right around the corner - a ton of birthdays and, of course, Christmas. I'm praying for some good sales and some good ideas to come within the next few weeks!

So, how do you save on your expenses? Have you cut something you previous thought was a necessity? Have you started knitting? Do you sweat it out at 85 degrees in your house? I want to hear!

Betty the Beta

2007-09-06T09:54:00.000-05:00

In honor of a friend, who recently acquired a new Beta family member, I've been inspired to share the Betty the Beta story.

To paint the picture in our house at the time: It was 2004 and we had just pulled up roots and moved from Texas to Florida. We had been here about 2 months. The boxes were finally unpacked and the empty ones collapsed and put away. 3 year-old Anna was in her two day a week preschool but 20-month old Sarah was having a difficult time adjusting to the move still. Completely on a whim while at the Pet Store (a great place to kill time when you know nobody and your kids are driving you crazy) I decided to bring home a fish. Not that I had any knowledge about fish, not that I actually had a huge affinity for fish, not that we really needed another pet (fish aren't great companions for dogs you know), but just because. I was thinking of a cute little goldfish in a round bowl a la Stanley on Playhouse Disney's Dennis. The Pet Shop lady told me goldfish are dirty fish and need their bowls cleaned all the time if they aren't in a filtered tank. She talked me into the Beta "who only needs to have his bowl cleaned once a week. Some people even keep them in a glass vase under a plant". Famous last words, right?

My husband definitely thought I had lost my mind. I told him it was because the girls were begging to have one. This was probably true but I think he was more right in his assessment of my reasons than I was.

Have you ever realized that the cheap $2 fish is really not just $2? There's the bowl, the food, the net, the special water, the bowl decorations, the special rock for the bottom, aquarium salt, etc, etc, etc.... about $25 later (it might have been more) we had what we thought we needed. Anna named him Betty and since she was only 3 we didn't belabor the point that Betty is a girl's name and the fish was actually a boy.

Thus began the crazy routine of making sure his habitat was clean and satisfactory. He needed his tank cleaned twice a week without fail. He needed special distilled water which I had to remember to pick up from the grocery store. We fed him his special Beta food and watched him make his beautiful bubble nests. I chased him around his bowl to get him out and into another container so I could clean his tank, fake plants, and rocks, then put him back in and hope I hadn't stressed him out too badly. I'd heard that they'll accidentally commit suicide by jumping out of their bowls so I was always paranoid he'd flip out and Bella the Whippet would be on him like a flash, licking her chops before I could even blink. Anna and Sarah would be right at my elbow every time Betty needed attention, eager to help and watching my every move.

Shortly after we got him he started to have this weird white stuff hanging off of his body. I jumped on the internet (Bettatalk.com) and quickly became a Beta Fish Nurse. We were committed to this little guy now. Sarah and Anna jumped out of bed every morning and had to say Hello to Betty first thing. They loved him. I couldn't let him just get flushed (of course it was past the warranty time frame). I had to run down to the specialized fish store . This all came to light on Saturday morning, of course, and after some frantic phone calls around town I finally found this place open and with someone who sounded like they knew what they were talking about . So I drove an hour, round-trip, to get fungus medicine which had to go in his bowl every third day. I hovered and watched over that silly critter until he got better. Every time I passed by his bowl I had to look to see if he showed even the smallest amount of improvement. My life was being taken over by a fish. I felt totally responsible for his little fishy life because I was the one who brought him home.

I've had this problem my whole life. Last weekend we were at the beach and I let Anna and Sarah bring home a real live Sand Dollar. I've felt guilty from the minute we got home because I know that it meant they have died from our hands. No matter that they are no different than a perch we might catch and eat. I couldn't eat the crawfish I caught with my grandfather when I was 13. I could never hunt. The movie Bambi upset me every time. I'll even fork over a fortune in medical care for our crazy dog that regularly strews trash around my living room floor if left out of her crate when we've left the house. Guilt can be a horrible thing . I'm sure I need therapy.

After a while the fungus cleared up and Betty was happily making bubbles at the top of his bowl again. Here is the part where I shake my head and take all responsibility. It was another Saturday morning. Anna and Sarah in their toddler and preschooler ways were up way too early for a Saturday morning. We got them settled with a little video and some toys and slipped back into bed for a few more minutes of a light snooze. After a little bit we heard some rustling noises in the kitchen and a lot of whispering. We came in to investigate only to find poor Betty in a plastic cup of extremely cold, straight from the fridge, regular water. I can only imagine why his poor fins were shaggy when two small people were trying to wrangle him out of his bowl. I swear he looked at me and squeaked "help me!". The girls grinned at me, unaware that I was horrified, and said "Mommy, we're helping you clean Betty's bowl!". I got him back into warm, distilled, slightly salty water as fast as I could but he swam kind of sideways the rest of the day, barely moving, and by the next morning was belly up. I was completely devastated.

Hoping to instill a lesson in the hearts of our children, we thought that rather than flush him, we'd have a "funeral". Anna decided that was a fantastic idea and went to work to make a little decorated box to be his "coffin". She had way too much enthusiasm. I honestly think they couldn't make the connection between what they had done that morning and the death of our fish. We had a little ceremony in the back garden and said goodbye to Betty. Mike made me promise NOT to buy any more fish to replace him. His opinion is that any more fish in our family need their own filtered tank that only needs the rare water change.

Book Meme

2007-09-01T13:29:00.000-05:00

I had no idea what "Meme" stood for before I saw this the first time on Coffeegal's site. From Miriam Webster's site:

Main Entry: meme
Pronunciation: 'mEm
Function: noun
Etymology: alteration of mimeme, from mim- (as in mimesis) + -eme
: an idea, behavior, style, or usage that spreads from person to person within a culture

Since I always like to have something to read laying around, I'll join in.

What are you reading right now? Best Friends by Martha Moody but it's not so great. A random library pick. Ii may not even finish it. Also the books in my side bar.

Do you have any idea what you’ll read when you’re done with that? I think I'll pick up The Seamstress, another Holocaust survivor story I got from the library. I've read two so far and had to take a break with some lighter fiction for a bit. The stories are so interesting that I don't want to just take them back to the library yet.

What magazines do you have in your bathroom right now? Mommy magazine - a local newspaper-y publication, several catalogues, and a book called Everyday Talk - a great one for learning to weave conversations about God into our day to day living.

What’s the worst thing you were ever forced to read? Watership Down Someone told my parents when I was about 8 that this would be a great book for me to read. It was kind of a rabbit version of Secret of Nimh crossed with Lord of the Flies. I hated it. I tried reading it again last year and it definitely did not improve with time or maturity.

What’s the one book you always recommend to just about everyone? Aside from the Bible, definitely Discipline of Grace by Jerry Bridges

Admit it, the librarians at your library know you on a first name basis, don’t they?
No, I do frequent a couple of libraries but the one closest to me probably recognizes me due to the noise my kids make when we come in. I've learned to request my books online and just come pick them up quickly.

Is there a book you absolutely love, but for some reason, people never think it sounds interesting, or maybe they read it and don’t like it at all? Not in general (or that I've been told anyway), but recently I tried to get my oldest daughter interested in Little House on the Prairie (I gave her my original boxed set) and she told me it was boring. That hurt!

Do you read books while you do other things? How many times did I get in trouble for this when I was a kid?! I still do it but I've discovered that it is much harder. I still enjoy the bad habit of reading while eating, but not when there is someone to converse with.

When you were little, did other children tease you about your reading habits? Not that I remember. I was just really quiet.

What’s the last thing you stayed up half the night reading because it was so good you couldn’t put it down? I read The Secret Life of Becky Miller by Sharon Hinck all in one day that way. To me some novels are just really hard to put down and I'll neglect other things until I finish it. That is why I have to be choosy about when I start a new book!

Patience is a Virtue

2007-08-31T10:18:00.000-05:00

There are some funny videos out there. This is one I found at the girltalk blog. Patience is a virtue, remember.

Click underlined link to go to youtube to see the video.

No Dragons Here

2007-08-31T09:30:00.000-05:00

A funny little story from the grocery store this morning.

But first, a little background.

I can never seem to keep up with trimming my girls' fingernails. Every time I turn around it seems like their nails are long and jagged with dirt caked under them. For three days in a row I told them "Remind me when we get home to trim your nails". (Because we always seem to be out of the house when I notice them.) The problem is they don't want me to trim their nails.

Anna wants to maintain the status symbols of being more grown up than her little sisters. "I'm not a baby anymore, Mom", she tells me. To her, having longer nails is a symbol of being grown up.

Sarah just doesn't remember stuff like that unless it is a promise of something fun later. Nail trimming doesn't fall into that category for her. She forgets on the way to the bathroom from the kitchen what she intended to do once she got there and it is only a distance of a few feet. I can hardly blame her, that happens to me regularly too.

Emily simply doesn't want to have to sit still that long.

So, back to my story. When I finally got to Sarah's nails a couple of days ago she said "Mommy, why can't I leave my nails long?". To which I replied: "Because your nails are like daggers and are scratching things and other people". Which created a new discussion about what daggers are while I finished the much needed grooming as Emily looked on.

This morning, while waiting for the deli lady to finish my order, I noticed that I still hadn't trimmed Emily's nails yet. I said "Remind Mommy, when we get home, to trim your nails". Then she looked at me with an innocently puzzled look and said "But why Mommy? There aren't any dragons on them.

It's time for a good laugh

2007-08-26T12:10:00.000-05:00

A really great Ebay auction listing

This is a very good one! I found it on the girltalk blog as their Friday funny this week.

Thanks Coffeegal for helping me make my link look nicer.

Difficult Days

2007-08-24T15:44:00.000-05:00

"Mama said there'd be days like this, days like this, days like this, my Mama said"
I stayed up too late last night finishing a book. Woke up early to look presentable for my busy morning. Flew out the door 20 minutes early so Sarah could have a half of a pint of blood work drawn. Dropped off Emily with a dear sweet friend. Headed to the ole "annual exam". Got the van cleaned, polished, and fumigated. Paid for the all day crop that's tomorrow. Then, I received a call from a friend who needed someone to talk to right away. Immediately my 'difficult' day paled immeasurably in comparison.
My heart is hurting for my friend. I want to fix it, take some of their pain away, scream right alongside them at the injustice of it all, shake someone else in the hopes of "knocking some sense" into them. It just hurts and is plain rotten. What I can do is pray without ceasing, love without expectation, try to be a living breathing example of God's love for them. Help them keep their focus on the One who never changes, never disappoints, never fails, is ALWAYS GOOD. It is a very real reminder to me that happiness, apart from God, is fleeting, temporal, fickle. My sights need to be set on Him.
We are such a hard headed people that it is often the difficult times that remind us to turn our eyes the source of all hope and joy. God.

Two Amazing Ladies

2007-08-23T16:30:00.001-05:00

Gerda Weismann Klein

Martha Washington

Since returning from my trip to DC to see my dear friend Carrie I've read on two topics that really capture my interest while I was there. My favorite Smithsonian, the National Museum of American History, is closed for renovations until late next year or I would have spent a lot of time there. In its absence I thought I'd enjoy seeing something new. So much has been added since I moved from that area in 1990 - The Korean War Memorial, several statues were added to the Vietnam War Memorial, the FDR memorial, and the WWII memorial, to name a few. My two favorite stops were diametrically different from one another.
One of them is the National Holocaust Memorial Museum. It was heart wrenching. I knew it would be, but experiencing the museum was unforgettable and is very difficult to explain.
Visitors enter the permanent main exhibit by elevator and are confronted with enormous images of concentration camp prisoners right away. Immediately my eyes were welling up and I wondered why Kleenexs weren't issued with our little booklets about a real holocaust victim. It wasn't long though before the overwhelming amount of horrific stories eclipsed my emotion's ability to process it all. I was in a state of shock as I read the sequence of events that led up to this unimaginable attempt at annihilating a whole people group. My biggest impression was that an enormous evil was set loose in Europe through Hitler, but he was by far not the only perpetrator. The blame for this tragedy need to be equally shared with the people who allowed his atrocious policies to come to fruition. From the government who gave him power, to the lackeys who carried out his orders, to the people who turned away and did nothing when they saw the horrible injustices being forced upon innocent people. At so many points it could have been stopped. Satan and his minions were given nearly absolute free reign throughout the German Reich's empire.
When we emerged from the exhibit, three hours after entering, I had such a strong desire to hear more personal stories. Of people who survived and what happened for them after. I wanted to see some glimmer of good that was pulled out of such tragedy. I made a mental note of the some the biographies in their bookstore and used my local library to find some of them. The book "All But My Life" by Gerda Weissmann Klein is one of those stories. Her story, and the way she wrote, had me riveted until I had finished the book. It was a story of courage and hope. Through all she endured she never let those go, even though she was sorely tempted.
The hope that we keep in our hearts and minds has power to keep us strong through even the worst circumstances. The hope I have in Jesus is just that kind of hope and is what gave me encouragement after I left the museum. Jesus has already won the battle. My job is to put on the full armor of God so that I can stand my ground when the day of evil comes. I have my belt of truth, breastplate of righteousness, shoes of the gospel of peace, shield of faith, helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit (Eph 6:14-17). When I have this armor on I can stand my ground against the rulers, authorities, and powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. My hope in Jesus' work on the cross and the promise of my place in heaven give me the hope to stand strong. I want to be strong enough to make a stand against evil and not be afraid when it happens.
My next favorite place to visit was a nice contrast to the Holocaust Memorial Museum. I got to visit the beloved estate of our First President George Washington. I was fascinated with the house and all the out buildings associated with it. There were little houses for the kitchen, for visiting servants, for laundry, smoking meat, storing food, "the outhouse", and the stable. I have always loved history and especially history that has a real human element to it that I can relate to. My very favorite novels are novels that weave an interesting story through a period of history. It makes history come alive for me. So, I found myself wondering what kind of woman was mistress of this large estate. During the tour they told me that the Washington family had a steady stream of visitors all the time. Every room had the ability to be turned into sleeping quarters. When I tried to imagine what it would be like to entertain visitors constantly and keep a house running in an era without a corner grocery store, electricity, washing machine, etc.... I figured Martha Washington must have been a remarkable woman.
So, when I went to the library I found several books about her and her time. Colonial Virginia in the 1700's was much different than the New England Puritan area of that time. She was not a perfect woman but some things really stood out to me about her life. No matter how full her house was or how much she had to do, every morning after breakfast she had a time in her room to have a quiet time with her Lord. She read the bible and prayed. That is a great example to me. She was known to have a "sweet disposition" that wasn't usually down for long. Despite many losses of loved ones, including all of her own children, she put her trust in God and kept her joyful spirit. She genuinely cared about others and was known for her generosity in spirit and in deed. She loved her husband and was trusting in his judgement and leadership. She had to be super organized and good at managing a household full of servants and slaves. Not that I would wish for slaves to help me, or even servants, but considering that her husband was often away for lengthy periods of time, she must have been a great at handling all that arose. The two children who lived to adulthood were apparently somewhat spoiled but were also absolutely loved. She took a vested interest in them and also in the two grandchildren they volunteered to raise after their father (her son) died at a young age.
I know I'm not doing either of these subjects complete justice, but these are a few of the things I've gleaned from recent readings. I've also managed to avoid the big black hole in our living room this way. I haven't watched TV in more than a week!

First Day

2007-08-20T12:50:00.001-05:00

Mama Duck

2007-08-16T13:57:00.001-05:00

Last week I was attacking the weeds that took up residence in our landscaping while we were waltzing across the southeastern US. (It's a job I don't enjoy but if we don't do it pretty regularly the Florida sun, water, and sand will conspire to create a lush jungle full of plants we didn't pay for and don't want. You can stick nearly anything in the ground here and it will grow and grow and grow.) That morning I had would I would call a "critter filled" experience. I got a half dozen fire ant bites (my own fault for not wearing shoes), several mosquito bites, and a bee sting- OUCH! The highlight of the morning, though, was finding a nice clutch of duck eggs hiding under one of my palms in the front bed.

Now, you need to picture this scene. We completely re-landscaped our yard about a year ago. The previous owners had a haphazard arrangement of a very motley (and somewhat unusual) assortment of plants, bushes, trees, and palms around our house. When we finally decided to completely re-do there were a few plants we were reluctant to touch. One is a plant we've affectionately named the "cactus palm" because it is about 7 feet tall. The two trunks are covered with cactus spines with a tuft of palm-like leaves at the top. It is right outside our front door. We've figured any door to door salesmen could be dispatched pretty quickly just by causing them to step back into it. Right next to it is another palm with horrible, long thorns that grow at the base of each it's fronds. I really dislike weeding in that area. It is also known to harbor a few good sized fire ant beds from time to time. All around these palms are some beautiful pink flowering Ixora plants and some Agapanthus.

So, here I am, pulling weeds near these well armed palm trees when duck runs scurrying out and into the grass. It startled me because she was so well hidden but then I noticed she had been sitting on a clutch of about half a dozen eggs. I quickly called the girls out to take a look while cautioning them to not get close and to never touch them. (Always take the opportunity to share a real life science lesson, right?). This Mama Duck deserves some "Great Mama" points. She picked a really great location to protect her babies. Not too many people or animals are going to venture in there to investigate with those palm trees around. Even the hawk perched on a light post the other day apparently wasn't interested.

So, we check on Mama Duck several times each day to see if she is still there and if we spy any signs of some cute little chicks. Mama Duck, I think, seems to have gotten used to being viewed like a zoo animal because she doesn't usually run off anymore but she does get puffy and hisses a little when she see us. Fair enough, I say. I've already had to convince Anna that Mama Duck is the best one to care for her little babies, no she doesn't need to come inside when it is raining, and she can find food for herself just fine because God made her that way. It has been very cute. Anna is the one who decided several weeks ago that she is going to have a science club after school this fall.

So now we anxiously await the arrival of the babies. I'm sure Mama Duck will eventually parade them around the neighborhood on the way to one of the several ponds near our house. I'll try to grab a picture when she does.

By the way, the Craigslist sale of the crib and dresser was successful. A brand new mom, due in October, bought them for the very nice sum of $425. Now Anna can get her new desk and bookcase. And maybe Sarah can have her new bedding too. The best part is that it's a baby boy that will sleep in it. That will be a first!

Advice

2007-08-15T15:47:00.000-05:00

In answer to a poll over at La Vida Dulce:

The best piece of advice I have been given, that I can remember at this moment, was to throw out the word 'divorce' from my vocabulary. To view my marriage as a covenant I have made for life what no matter how mad I might be. It has caused us to look for ways to resolve the conflict or problem earlier than we otherwise might. When I know I'm "stuck" with this husband I am very motivated to make my marriage the best it can be. Besides, it is miserable to bump around in a house together still mad at one another. I wish more people would make that decision. We are starting to see marriages of friends and acquaintances unravel. Being a witness to the destruction that causes is truly heartbreaking to me.

Bye Bye Baby

2007-08-13T13:57:00.001-05:00

"She's a big girl now". If I were a song writer I'm sure that would lend itself to a cute little ditty. Today I put the crib and dresser set all my girls have used on Craigslist. The picture was taken right before it was disassembled and stuck out in the garage.

I can remember standing in the showroom of the baby furniture store in Ft. Worth, pregnant and so excited to be making the plans for our first nursery. We looked at all the cribs they had to offer, shopped at several different stores, and came back to this model that was "perfect" for our first little baby. Mike's mom AKA "Granna" bought the crib and we purchased the matching dresser. Mike went to go pick it up when it arrived and had it all assembled when I got home from work one day. He was as excited as I was. We posed for a picture at Christmas in front of the fully made (gender neutral!) crib, in the almost completely equipped room, all ready for the baby that wouldn't arrive for another 4 months. Such is the work done for a first child.

I remember the first night when we put Anna down to sleep for the night in her crib. All by herself, all the way across the house from us. (Never mind that the house was only 1600 square feet and we could hear her slightest cry without the supersonic monitor we installed in her room!). She was five weeks old and she felt so far away. I remember getting up several times that night just to look at her and make sure she was ok. Now don't get me wrong, she had napped in there, I just wasn't ready to let her stay in there all by herself all night yet.

Anna was bumped out at age two to make way for Sarah's arrival. She was so excited to sleep in her big girl toddler bed in the same room as Sarah. However, Sarah didn't actually sleep in it until she was probably 3 or 4 months old. Sarah just didn't sleep well for a long time..... and then, when she was just shy of two, she figured out how to jump out. So, we put the crib under our bed to get it out of the way. It was within a few days of doing so we realized baby number 3 was on its way. Good thing we had a good, strong, sturdy crib! Finally, Emily got her turn when she was about 8 weeks old. I was so unsure of how to make the room arrangements for the girls that Emily slept in the pack and play in our room until I finally decided. The only thing I had known for sure up until then was that she was going to have "girly" bedding! When we discovered her gender I completely embraced the idea of being a mother of girls. But, poor Emily's room was actually our office for the first 8 months of her life. The romance of a "nursery" had long worn off by then. In fact, even when the office moved out, her bedroom became the official guest room as well and wasn't completely finished before she changed bedrooms. Ah, such is the life of the third child.

Emily stayed in the crib the longest. She was nearly 2 1/2 when she launched herself over the side rail by herself. Considering she has been potty trained for several months now we figured she might as well have a big bed too. Now we're on to the next transition for our family of having three rapidly growing girls and no babies. They each have their own room and their individual personalities are really starting to show as we see how they arrange their own spaces.

The girls and I had a little reminiscing moment right before they helped me disassemble the crib. I told them all the special little memories and reminded them of how welcomed and special each of them are. The emotions and memories tied up in that one piece of furniture are precious. I can't think of any other single piece of furniture in our house with so many wonderful memories for our family. I pray that the next owners have memories just as sweet.

Six states, 29 days, 4,862 miles

2007-07-31T15:19:00.000-05:00

The Short Version:

Our family trip started June 30th. We took off from our home in Florida to our first stop outside of Birmingham, Alabama. Mike's dad and his wife just moved into their new home this spring. It is set on a beautiful hilltop with gorgeous views. We celebrated his Dad's 60th birthday and enjoyed hanging out with Mike's sister, Lauren and her family. Next we headed out to Mike's Mom's new lake house, under construction, east of Corsicana, Texas. The girls caught their first fish off of their pier on the lake and we got to spend lots of time with Mike's brother, Daniel and his girlfriend. From there we went to Boerne where Jessica's whole family was having a big 80th birthday bash for Granny Bert. Granny was so thrilled to have everyone there to celebrate. We ate and ate and ate! At the end of that week Mike had to fly back to Florida to work. Jessica and the girls went on short visits to see Shannon and McKayla and also Maria and her kiddos. Then it was off to Shenendoah, Texas to chill out and shop since the lake house was so muddy. After a brief afternoon at the Dallas Zoo with the McBrooms, Anna and Sarah got three days with their grandparents at the lake again while Emily and Jessica hung out in Fort Worth with a few friends. Mike flew back to Dallas on the 26th and we began the long journey to get home by the 29th.

The best parts (in no particular order):
Getting to see some really great friends and catch up in a way that you can't do so well over the phone.
Seeing nearly all of our families and getting to hang out and relax together. Some we haven't seen in a couple of years or more.
Granny's birthday party was a wonderful way to show her how much everyone loves her. She was so happy that weekend and I am so glad we got to be a part of it.
Getting away from the everyday routine.
Experiencing seeing our kids through other people's eyes. They were so sociable and friendly, very flexible, complimented by everyone at every turn, really showing love and grace to everyone we saw. I am so proud of their conduct during a trip that required great flexibility and a lot of patience.
Our van held up remarkably well. We are now at almost 171,000 miles on our '98 Sienna!
Making it back to our Florida house safe and sound.
Praise God for providing for us and for making our trip such a blessing

For those who like stats and are on the edge of their seats thinking I forgot to share......I counted 42 different state license plates, including Alaska, and 3 different Mexican state plates while we were gone. I won't include NJ which I actually didn't find until we had been home a day and half. Most of the out of state plates were on Florida interstates. Mississippi had the least variety.

Off We GO!!

2007-06-29T20:49:00.002-05:00

The car is all packed. We're headed out for a whole month to visit friends and family in Alabama and Texas and we leave tomorrow morning. Early. All the possible preparations that could be done have been done (I think). We've got all the half eaten bags of snacks in the car so they don't get gross before we get home. We've got the cute outfit to take pictures with the cousins in. We've got the camera to take some more cute pictures along the way. The tires have tread, are aired, balanced, aligned and rotated. The oil is fresh and new. There are movies, games, books, colors, blankets and baby dolls loaded up and ready to spring all over the car and spill out onto the pavement when the doors open. The new, aerodynamic, hardsided (read: rainproof) car top carrier is loaded with luggage, a portable bed for the two year old, the stroller, suitcases, and the life jackets for lake play.

We get to celebrate a 60th birthday, an 80th birthday, our nation's birthday, two brand new retirement dream homes, a raise and promotion, and the love for our family and friends. We are all so excited!!!!

So, check back in this month and I'll try to keep you updated on our travels. I've heard Texas is one big lake so please pray for our safe travel and the safety of the family we are traveling to see. Last time we we took this trip it was about 4000 miles on the old minivan - we expect to hit that mark again. We're also going to keep track of license plates. Last year we got 3/4 of the list knocked out before we even left Florida.

Happy Traveling......

Little Cutie Sarah

2007-06-20T07:03:00.000-05:00

This past year at school Sarah acquired the name "Little Cutie Sarah" and now there are whole families that call her by it. She was one of the shortest in her K4 class and is so loving to those she knows so it didn't surprise us too much. I've often called her My Sweet Sarah. Last Friday she became even cuter in our eyes when she got these darling little blue glasses.

She turned 5 on June 4th and then on June 8th we took our two oldest to have eye exams for the first time. We always knew that, at a minimum, one of our girls would need glasses. The surprise was that she's farsighted! It's a low prescription and she really just needs them for up close work. The best news of all is that she should outgrow it. Our prayer is that having the glasses helps Sarah with some of her sensory issues since not seeing well must have an impact on that as well. The irony is that we had only been "glasses free" in our house for about a month. Mike had Lasik last year and I had Lasek this spring.

Marathon girl

2007-06-03T18:14:00.000-05:00

Disney Marathon Jan 7th
Time: 5:55
glad to finish!

Sarasota Marathon March 4th
time: 5:18
Hurray for a reasonable time.
No races on the schedule for a while while speed increases. No more 5+ hour marathons. My friend is one of the wonderful people who has trained with me all year. We've ran every big race together so far. Running friends are awesome and deserve lots of credit!

Minnie is just two

2007-06-03T18:10:00.000-05:00

The cutest little two year old Minnie you've ever seen. All dolled up for her birthday on February 8th.

A freshly minted 7 year old

2007-06-03T18:07:00.000-05:00

March 31st

Tiny Ballerinas

2007-06-03T18:02:00.000-05:00

Dance Recital night June 2nd. The best performances given were from these two brave ballerinas. They outshone all the stars on the stage or in the sky.

Catching Up

2006-12-18T16:27:00.000-05:00

Boy, it's been a while since I've blogged. The last time I tried I couldn't get a post to actually post and I gave up. We'll see how this one goes.....

Since the October post I've logged many more miles and I've now completed my last long training run before the marathon. 24 miles is a long way! I'm only 2.2 miles away from the marathon distance of 26.2 and I'm sure now that I can do it. I'm hoping all the kinks are worked out and that no sickness or injuries happen before I get to do it "for real" on January 7th.

Rather than ramble on and on I'm going to post a few pictures of our latest activities. Big events have included: Cutting my hair shorter than I've had it in many years and LOVING IT!, getting to have my Mom, my sister and her family here for Thanksgiving, Mike's promotion at work, news that my best friend is moving to just outside DC, and the usual kinds of Christmas happenings.

I am working hard to keep the spirit of Christ in our Christmas this year. I got my presents purchased and wrapped shortly after Thanksgiving and have pretty much avoided the stores. It has helped tremendously to keep my thoughts and mind in a spirit of thankfulness for the gift God gave the world that morning over 2000 years ago. As a mother, the idea of a baby arriving who would change the world makes my heart skip a beat. Our children have so much God given potential for His kingdom. I pray that Mike and I would impart the joy of serving the Lord to our children so they may too experience the joy of His provision of everything we need. I pray that the peace of Christ would prevail in your life this season and in the coming year.

Sending all our love to those who stop in to this blog. We really do miss you. As I addressed our Christmas cards I realized how long it has been since we've been in touch. Our relationships with one another are the only things we get to take with us to heaven. I pray that I would not take anyone for granted and that I would strive to continue to keep ties strong.

Victory!!

2006-10-08T13:44:00.000-05:00

Today I completed the Latin Classic Half Marathon here in Bradenton. I spent three days this week recovering from last Sunday's back injury. Three visits to my chiropractor and I was cleared to run again Thursday.

For some reason I get nervous before events like this. It was only the second race I have entered and I felt the same way before the last one. A mix between "What have I gotten myself into" and excitement that I can be counted as one of the crazy elite who actually willingly subject themselves to 13.1 miles of running. I was even more nervous before this event because I knew I didn't get my usual amount of running in during the week.

I was up at 5:30 AM, had my Clif Bar, checked the weather (a cool high 60/low 70 forcast for the race), took care of other necessary chores and made sure my gear was ready to go. I made it to the high school (where it started and ended) by 6:30 and quickly found one of my running buddies, Kerry, and several other Galloway method runners from my Saturday training runs.

We started out at a pretty fast clip (for me) of 11 minutes per mile for the first 4 miles. Since we run two minutes and walk one minute that is pretty quick. Especially considering I am usually around 12 minutes per mile for a longer run. Coupling that with my medically reduced running log this week, I was quickly wondering how I could do this pace for 13.1 miles. We kept up about an 11:11 mile for the next 5-6 miles and at about mile marker 10 I was really huffing and puffing. I made it to just before mile marker 12 when my heart rate hit my max (I wear a heart rate monitor when I run). At that point I slowed down to running one minute and walking one minute for the rest of the way. My sweet friend Kerry stuck with me and was encouraging the whole way, even though I was running slower than she needed to. With about .2 miles to go I spotted my cheerleading squad: Mike, Anna, Sarah, and Emily! I rallied up and made it to the finish line in 2 hours, 32 minutes, and 46 seconds. A final per mile time of 11:39.

My body didn't enjoy this run (usually it does enjoy running, honest!) but I am so proud that I made it. I wasn't sure a week ago that I would even be able to run today. My time and the fact that I finished completely amazes me. I am hoping that the work that I did today pays off down the road in increased endurance. Every time I push past those feelings of "let's just walk" and finish a long distance I think of the verse in Philippians: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. (Chapter 3:13b-14) Pressing myself physically and mentally prepares me for the challenges that life gives me. Life tries to pull me away from reaching the goal of Christlike holiness. The road to holiness sometimes feels like a marathon in which the mile markers are difficult to see and progress seems slow. When I keep my eyes on the prize and press on even when I'm not sure I have it in me anymore I am learning endurance in my Christian walk as well. Consider Phillipians 3:20-21 - But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. I am looking forward to that heavenly body that won't fail me at crucial moments!

After the run I enjoyed a free post race massage. I highly recommend those!! My hamstrings were the tightest I've ever felt them when I completed the run. After the massage they felt normal again. I even got a medal for finishing. Enjoy the pictures. The camera ran out of batteries at the finish line so we don't have a picture from then. The running picture is with my friend Kerry, taken just as we spotted Mike and the girls.

Praise God for all His strength!

Agony!

2006-10-02T15:21:00.000-05:00

My body doesn't always cooperate well with my plans for it. Today was another (in a series) of reminders that what I want to do is not always in line with what it is willing to do.
My sweet husband was up in Gainesville to recruit new blood for The Firm. I was on my own to take the girls to a birthday party. A grand time was had by all three and then it was time to load up and go home.
I was asked to hold two, still slightly wet, ceramic art masterpieces, three goody bags, Emily's baby doll and diaper bag, my purse. I got the ceramics pieces and bags safely in my right hand and bent to pick up Emily with my left. As I was rising with her in my arms something went "boing" in that spot in my back that periodically does that. I immediately knew I was in trouble.
It was painful to carry Emily's 25 lbs (just weighed that morning, how convenient!) to the car and then transfer her into her car seat. I tried to "take it easy" last night - read: No picking up of toys or mopping of floors and dinner was hot dogs and french fries picnic style in front of the movie Dumbo. I was praying that a night of rest was all that was needed to be straightened out by morning.
This morning I saw an, unfortunately, familiar reflection in the mirror that reminds me of that crooked man nursery rhyme. You know, the one that goes "There once was a crooked man who lived in a crooked house......" I only had a defined waist on one side. One shoulder was higher than the other and my hips didn't move properly.
I called my trusty chiropractor for an early appointment as I drove the girls to school. I was optimistic about her ability to "fix" me and wore my gym clothes, hoping to head to the gym to at least walk on the treadmill. It was definitely wishful thinking.
I'm not to run until at least Wednesday. I am still very tender and have iced twice already today. All this just 6 days before my half marathon. Please pray for my back to heal quickly!!!!!

The latest

2006-09-29T13:29:00.000-05:00

Hurray! As of today I have $1731.97 in my Joints in Motion account. That is a huge relief. Only $268.03 until I've met my $2000 commitment to the Arthritis Foundation. The biggest donation so far has been my portion of the profits from our group garage sale last weekend. Hurray! The other girls have a little further to go with their fundraising so I'll be joining in to help them meet their goal. I'm also halfway there in my running miles too. Next weekend is my first half marathon. I've done the distance before (two weeks ago) so I'm confident that I'll at least finish.
Fall is on the near horizon here. I've been listening to another friend who blogs go on and on in bliss over getting out her cordoroy pants and wearing comfy soft jackets. She has the benefit of living where there are more than two seasons. I am contenting myself with the drop in humidity and a wonderful coolness in the air in the morning. I know beautiful Florida weather is around the corner. While I am jealous now that she get to wear cute "fall clothes" I'll be glad in January when I'm wearing a light layer in the morning and enjoying short sleeves in the afternoon! I've been reminded from several places that my dream home is in heaven. Being contented now with where God has placed me will make the wait seem more pleasant. Besides, how could anything on Earth possibly top what God has created for me in heaven?!
I've found myself frustrated recently due to a busy schedule that prevents getting more than the most basic errands run. I've had some things on my shopping list for 6 weeks or more just because I don't ever make it to the right part of town at the right time of day. However, I've decided that there is a blessing there. As I have made it all this time without those items I realized that I don't necessarily need those things (although once I am able to get them I will enjoy them!). It has also been good for my budget because those stops to pick up something on the list always result in things that weren't on the list coming home too. So, I'm praising God today in the blessing of the schedule he's given me this fall. It has definitely made more time for me to spend with Emily at home, taking care of my home, and being ready for the girls when their school day is over. Thank you God for when you say "no" and "wait".

My Latest Hobby

2006-09-04T14:11:00.000-05:00

Fall is my very favorite time of year. I love feeling the temperature cool down, anticipating the holiday season, and anticipating the fresh start of a new school year beginning. This year I am eagerly anticipating that cooler weather in the morning! Since April I have embarked on a brand new type of activity that took on monumental porportions quickly! I signed up to run the Disney Marathon on January 7th, 2007 as a way to raise funds for The Arthritis Foundation. I'm running in honor of my grandmother who has arthritis in her shoulder. The part that makes it pretty crazy is that I hadn't run more than a mile since, oh, college about 13 years ago. I am following the Jeff Galloway program and running 2 minutes, walking a minute which is a fabulous way to run distance in my opinion. Over the last five months I've worked up to running eleven miles, as of this last Saturday! The biggest challenge is temperatures at 6 AM being close to 80 degrees and humidity in the 90's. This last week I also have had to deal with Red Tide (which causes respiratory discomfort - exactly what you don't want when you are running).
Two weekends ago I ran in a local 5K to benefit a 4-year-old with a rare brain cancer. I finished in 32:06 minutes, not too bad for my first race ever. In two weeks I'll run 13 miles and then on October 8th I'll do my very first half marathon (13.1 miles) at the Latin Classic, a local race.
My biggest problem with running in the past has been experiencing a lot of shortness of breath. A feeling that my legs could keep going but my lungs were done! I've discovered that I have Exercise Induced Asthma and with 2-3 allergy medications I can actually manage it. The other issue is that I often injure myself when I begin a new athletic endeavor. I've been very careful this last year to learn proper technique and take things slow and so far any little aches and pains that have popped up have resolved with little intervention. Prayer is always helpful!
So far I am on track with fundraising. A HUGE thank-you and hug for everyone who has generously donated so far. Your donations and notes of encouragement have given me the little boosts in confidence I need just when I need them most. I've raised $1145 of the required $2000 so far. December 15th is the deadline for the full amount.
My running friends and I have organized several fundraisers, the biggest of which is a HUGE garage sale scheduled for September 23rd. We're taking donations and raiding our own homes and attics to find saleable items. Please join me in praying for God's provision of funds, faith, and perseverance.
When I am searching for motivation to take another step or go another minute when I am running I often think of those I know who are experiencing their own life "marathons" of either arthritis, cancer, or heartache. I think, "If they can persevere through their tough experience right now, I can surely find the energy to finish this run (or race) that has a known end point". I've found so much inspiration from observing those around me who persevere with joy through really tough circumstances.
So, there you go, a little peak at a huge part of my life right now. I never knew that running could be so rewarding on so many different levels or that I would ever like it! I'm so glad I took the leap of faith to try it.

Peace. Quiet

2006-08-18T07:57:00.000-05:00

Today is the last day of the first week of school. Emily is happily engaged in Blues Clues (sitting still for 20 minutes!). My two big girls are at school. Sending them off to school was bittersweet. I was ready for them to go so that my house could manage to stay somewhat neat and the fighting could be limited to between 3 PM and 8PM instead of ringing in my ears all day. But that all comes at a price and I'm missing having lazy mornings, hanging out in the pool for hours, basically having the "down time" with my girls. Now we are out the door by 7:45. Anna and Sarah asked every day for the last 2 weeks before school began "How many more days until school, Mommy?." My big girls are now in First Grade and K4. Sarah was was never nervous at all despite the fact that it is a new school for her and she will be there five days instead of the two she did last year. While I was driving them up to the school the first day I asked Sarah if she wanted me to walk her to class or if she wanted to get out in the drop off line. Our school has a fabulous system worked out where teachers meet you at your car, open the door, assist the children getting out, then escort them to the play area to wait for their day to start. This first week the moms of the K4 kids have permission to walk them to their classroom. So, when I asked Sarah she said "No Mommy, I don't need you to walk me to class, Anna can take me." Let me tell you what a lump in my throat formed when she said those words and just hopped right out with her huge Disney Princess backpack on her back and walked away, hand in hand with Anna, hardly a backward glance. I couldn't stand it and jumped out of the car to give them both kisses and hugs and tried not to let them see the shine of tears in my eyes or hear the strain in my voice as I tried hard not to let them see that I was about to cry. It is the tug between excitement to see them growing and developing as they should and wistfulness in remembering how much they used to need me. Their babyhood was not that long ago! I'm going to need some serious support when Emily heads off to school.

In other news on the homefront Sarah aquired the confidence (out of the blue!) to swim without her floaties. We've been trying to coax her all summer to let go of them. We started slowly deflating them a few months ago and she was doing great but wouldn't take them off, even when they barely had any air in them. She got down to wearing just one, half inflated. One day I asked her if she was ready to take it off (like I did everytime we got in the water) and she thought for a second, and said "yes"! Just like that she wasn't wearing floaties anymore. Within the hour she was swimming all over the pool with her face in the water. Sarah tends to do things when she is ready and not a second before, no matter how much coaxing you try to do. Hurray for Sarah!

Emily gave up the ring floatie early this summer and is now swimming with just a pair of arm floaties. She bobs around and kicks to get where she wants to go. I am constantly asked "How old is she? She sure talks a lot!" She has become quite the chatter box and repeats everything she hears. She's putting short sentences together and is eager to communicate. She is also becoming a master at getting our attention. If we're busy and she wants us she will do whatever it takes even if she has to go from one "no-no" to another until she has your full attention!

Last, but not least, I finally got to bring home my pottery "babies". For Mother's Day Mike and the girls gave me 5 nights of pottery class. I managed to make 6 peices. Five were thrown on the pottery wheel and one was a "coil pot". They didn't turn out exactly like I expected (what ever does?, but the whole experience was really great. The best part was when I was at the studio, for three whole hours I was able to dive into creativity without having to keep an ear, an eye, and a significant portion of my brain trained on someone else. I was able to devote my full attention to creating. It was really freeing. I hope I can do it again sometime. Next blog I'll update you on the marathon.

'tuck!!

2006-08-04T12:48:00.000-05:00

There are certain pivotal moments in a mother's life when it is clear that your child is "growing up". Of course we realize that every day there is a new thing learned or a new accomplishment but certain moments just kind of stick out as momentous. Today I experienced one of those. I have know for a few days that my little Emily, nearly 18 months old, wasn't fond of her highchair anymore. She fussed when I put her in it and wanted out as soon as she was done eating. I still like the high chair because it has a nice big tray to contain her mess and she is contained within the confines of the chair, restricted from spreading her mess all over the dining nook or being able to reach anyone else's plate or cup.

Today, I set her in her chair for her customary Nutrigrain bar and milk and left to do a few more morning chores. Soon I heard her fussing and a sweet strained voice saying "'tuck......Mommy!.....'tuck".....MOMMY!!" I took a peek and found her like this. I had to agree, she certainly was stuck!

So now she'll be joining us at the dining table in a booster seat (with straps!) and the highchair will find a new home. I will be glad to have the space back in my nook and I won't mind not having to clean its nooks and crannys anymore, but I am a little sad to see hard evidence that my baby has taken another step away from babyhood.

Girls Night

2006-07-17T16:03:00.000-05:00

I'm getting SO excited!! My friend Carrie is coming to town on Thursday. There are so many wonderful thoughts associated with that news to me. Carrie and I have been friends for 15 years. There is such peace in hanging out with a friend who has known you for that long. We can relax and enjoy without pretense or trying to fill the silent moments. Friday we are headed to St. Pete for a night of all things girly. Museums, pedicures, chick flicks, salads, fruity drinks, soaking in the hot tub, etc....you get the picture. A total disconnect from my everyday life.

Don't get me wrong, I really LOVE getting away with my husband. We have a lot in common and we enjoy many of the same things. He likes to shop. He'll watch chick flicks. He doesn't mind salads. I never have to twist his arm to spend time with me. In fact, he seeks out time together for us and has helped to keep our tradition of a weekend away for our anniversary alive for the 9 years we've been married. I feel reconnected with my husband as a wife and reminded of why I married him to begin with.

Girlfriend time is different though. It is refreshing and renewing in a different way. It is just as important time to me as time away with Mike. After time with a cherished girlfriend I feel refreshed and renewed. Ready to recommit to both my husband and my kids. I'm reminded how much they mean to me and puts the everyday mundane and boring into the right perspective. I rediscover why I love being a mom and a wife and find myself excited to come home and do exactly the same things I was doing before I left for a brief while. The girls squabbles aren't so serious. Their hugs and kisses are sweeter. My husband is even more dashing and handsome than before.

I praise God today for dear friends whether close or far away!

Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart and the pleasantness of one's friend springs from his earnest counsel. Proverbs 27.9

Dinner is Served

2006-07-14T15:28:00.001-05:00

Wow, two posts in one day.

I was looking back over my old posts and remembered my first one. I was bemoaning the frequent chore of putting food on my family's table. Don't get me wrong. I love my family and want to provide well for them. I also enjoy cooking and I love good fresh food. I just get tired of the work involved in getting to the "fixing it" part. I have found a solution to the most detestable parts of that process which is even better than the book previously mentioned. It's called Thyme for Dinner. A wonderful new concept in providing dinner for your family. I went with a friend the other night to create 12 large dishes to serve my family this month. I can't remember when an hour and half of my time has saved so much time and headache!!

According to the description on their website Thyme for Dinner has prepped 13 meals (of which you can choose 8 or 12) ready for you to show up and prepare in their commercial kitchen.

We arrived at 7:30 to 6 stations already prepped with everything I needed to make 12 main dishes. Such wonderful food as BBQ pork, Salmon with spinach, feta, and sundried tomatoes, Bourbon Chicken, and Pesto Artichoke Chicken Pizza. Enough to feed my family with plenty of leftovers. I didn't have to plan for, shop for, measure or chop a thing. And, best of all, they did all the clean up. I got to go home with a cooler full of wonderful things to keep in my freezer, ready for a delicious meal. I'm a complete convert and I haven't even eaten any of it yet!

Now I just wish I had thought of this idea first. I can't imagine why anyone wouldn't want to try this. This particular company has 6 or 7 locations and I know there are similar concepts out there. I'd highly recommend finding and trying one near you. I'll let you know later how delicious it really turns out to be. Until then, feel free to call me at about 5:30 because now I'll have the time to talk!

Fashion!

2006-07-14T15:16:00.000-05:00

Oh help us all!! Leggings are now back according to the store ads I am seeing for fall. I also noticed that "skinny leg" jeans are "in style". Is there anything new in the fashion world? Why, oh why, are we recycling 80's Madonna looks in 2006? Slouchy shirts with belts, tunic tops, granny boots, the list goes on. Next thing you know they'll be touting that we all need to wear jelly bracelets from wrist to elbow and tying our hair up with bandanas again. Do you think sky high bangs with a can of hairspray will make a reappearance?

I gave up trying to find any new shorts this year. They all seemed to be the long Bermuda style. I'm not sure who those look good on but its definitely not me. Maybe next year fashion will morph back to something reasonable. Not all the way back up to peek-a-boo cracks or cheeks but somewhere halfway isn't too much to ask is it?

I like to look stylish and "put together". I try to look my age. You know, not like my mother and not like the high school/college set. However, as I look back at my old pictures, those styles weren't so great on me when they were first popular in the 80's so I feel pretty certain they won't look great 20 years and 3 kids later. What is a girl in desperate need of a wardrobe to do?

I'm not a clean freak, REALLY!

2006-07-11T14:04:00.000-05:00

I'm going to share one of my frequent complaints. How in the world do you impress into your children the joy of a clean living space? You see, when the youngest in the family is a 17-month old who is constantly looking for new ways to get into trouble, the mess is a major hazard!
I've tried so many different techniques. Dire punishment for a room that is not made tidy within x amount of time. A reward for a room made tidy in x amount of time. Loss of toys/priviledges/timely dinner if room is not tidy. "Don't you know that it is much easier if you put things away when you are done with them instead of waiting until the piles are so big that you have to hurdle over them to get from one side of the room to the other?!". Each day I probably clean up half of their mess for them out of sheer exhaustion over trying to get them to do it. At least twice weekly I am tempted to empty out half of what they have and give it away. Bi-monthly I am already getting in there and purging what hasn't been played with in six months.
What is left is played with but maybe they don't need enough dishes and plates for our whole neighborhood. Maybe they don't need 20 animals and baby dolls. Quite possibly 10 is enough. I've put a moratorium on any new toys. 90% of their artwork is admired for a day and then sent to decorate the recycle bin. Polly Pocket is EVIL and must be destroyed - -ha ha ha (said in a sinister voice). No really. Whoever thought a tiny doll with parts you could accidentally inhale and choke on has a sick sense of humor. Any Polly parts left on the floor are fair game for the broom and the vacuum cleaner. I've invested in lots of storage containers and rearranged for the best flow and play space.
Seriously though. When your girls happily (or mostly happily) play together, using their imaginations, and don't whine every ten minutes saying "I'm bored", it is hard to get super upset about the mess. The problem is the mess still has to be cleaned up and they'd rather do anything but clean. So, how to motivate? That is my question today (and almost everyday!).

Rain and Ramblings

2006-07-09T13:52:00.000-05:00

It is so weird to have huge downpours of rain in July. Since living in Florida I've experienced more rain in this month of the year than any other (apart from hurricanes). We've logged at least 1 1/2 inches in the last 24 hours. That doesn't include the most recent rainshower that just left. The rain is precisely the reason we planned our new landscaping installation to take place a few weeks ago. We love free water!

We just returned from our annual "Tour of the Southeast US" on Wednesday. We logged 4038 miles on our mini-van, bringing the grand total of mileage on our '98 Sienna to 145,000! Our girls were unbelievably good on the road. The biggest difficulty was poor Emily popping 3 new molars while we were gone. (Imagine lots of ibuprofen, teething tablets, a pint-sized middle-of-t he-night bed companion, and a few good cries.) I miss our friends and family already but I am loving being in my own house and not driving anywhere that isn't necessary. I'm perusing summer sales via the internet so I can avoid going anywhere. I am desperate for a new swim suit now that I've got a hot summer and lots of time.

Speaking of swimsuits, one of the beautiful things about our Florida house is that I get to swim in my own pool. I can cool off with the girls, get a teeny bit of a tan, and never worry about who may view me (or parts of me) in my suit. I don't worry about beachwear. I've seen the suits that people of all sizes wear at the beach. I look better than some and worse than some and that is just fine with me. No reason to worry when I've already got my man and my girls are more interested in covering themselves with sand than parading up and down the beach!

Blue Skies

2006-01-11T21:51:00.000-05:00

Blue Skies

Grocery shopping is a terrible way to spend several hours. I really don't like the whole process. I don't like making the menu, writing the list, or going to the store. Especially if I have to take more than one of my daughters with me. The only good thing, in my opinion, is that it ends the chore for at least a week and I don't have to think about it. It would be wonderful if food just appeared in there once a week and a menu was there pinned to the door.

I tried online grocery ordering once a few years ago. Aside from being a little expensive I thought it was great. At least it didn't require pushing a cart with a bum wheel and then hauling everything out from the car to the kitchen. They were nice enough to even put my groceries on my counter.

My newest saving grace is a book called "Saving Dinner". it has 6 menus and a list for everything that is needed to make all those dinners. They are usually pretty quick and straight forward to make and my family likes them. They are also healthy and a good way to stay on track with my weight loss plan.