Special Delivery

I love deliveries. I would totally crush on my delivery people if I weren't already happily married to the hottest guy EVER.

Usually it's something for the farm. BOOOOOOORRR-ING.

But lately, it's been fun stuff!! Like this light over my table. Isn't it super fab? I've been wanting to replace the old light over the kitchen table since we moved in five years ago.

And, we also get to replace our other brass and smoked glass chandelier in the living room with this:


We also got some essentials I absolutely love. This detergent line is THE BEST
We give great credit to these vitamins and Omega-3s for our kids health and intelligence. (That and their mom is awesome !*tosses hair back and laughs*)

I also have gotten several books for me and the children lately from PaperBackBookSwap.

I'm still waiting for this dress.

And some more books.

I can't wait. *rubs hands together gleefully*

I love deliveries.

daybook

My Daybook ~29 June

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Outside My Window ... gorgeous blue skies, puff ball clouds, cool breeze, absolutely perfect weather
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I am thinking ... of what I should do versus what I want to do with my evening

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I am thankful ... that the Lord will work out his plans for my life, for his lovingkindness that continues forever
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From the learning rooms ... Independence Day, some Revolutionary War, flag history ect.

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From the kitchen ... sloppy joes, rib eyes, burgers, (gotta eat some BEEF)
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I am wearing ... khaki shorts, a brown beaded tank over a peach one

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I am creating ... birthday cards for five July birthdays

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I am reading ...

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I am hoping ... Cora's surgery goes well tomorrow morning (my five year old niece has a tumor-or tumor like growth-in her mouth that is being removed)

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I am hearing... birds chirping

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Around the house ... attack that storage room, and all the other maintenance I regularly do

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One of my favorite things ...sleeping in cool weather

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A few plans for the rest of the week ... College roommate here for an overnight, over to my mom's, over to my sister's for support during Cora's surgery, dance class, enjoying the outdoors as much as possible, planning for Kevin's birthday on Sunday

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Here is a picture thought I am sharing~
My college pal and roommate Anne. We have now been friends almost half my life.

Perfect is in your attitude.

I was just thinking to myself "Today was a perfect day."

And then I remembered how Brielle was playing in a bucket of water with her Sunday dress on, and got completely soaked. She asks me for permission to dance in the driveway, but 'forgets' to ask permission to play in the water.

And how Aviana followed me from room to room literally clinging to me for most of the morning.

And how we visited a new church-an Episcopalian cathedral to be more precise-and we had to do the walk of shame to the nursery back up the aisle with a crying baby and little girls' dress shoes clattering on the stone.

And how during 'quiet time' Brielle woke up me and the baby. And dumped every. blessed. thing. out of her dresser and closet.

And how my dad and I got into a tiff about how well done I like my hamburgers.

But I also remembered the conversations. And the laughs. And the looks filled with meaning and promise. And the inside jokes.

I got the giggles (only once in church though). I got some snuggles. I got plenty 'o hugs. I got to eat delicious food I didn't have to prepare, twice! I got to laugh with my husband. I got to play. I got to read. I got to nap. I chatted with a girlfriend on the phone, and with a girlfriend in person in the hammock until way past bedtime. I got some laundry done. I got some picking up done. I got some helping my mom done. I got some lovin' on my family done.

Yeah. It was a perfect day.

Grow baby grow.

Come on now, it's not nice to tease a baby!

Maybe they didn't understand the question.

After reading The Five Love Languages of Children, I thought, even though mine are so young, and even though the author said they probably don't have a specific one yet, I'll go ahead and try to figure out which love language is theirs.

I asked Brielle, age 2. "How do you know Mama loves you?"
Pause.
In that enthusiastic almost too loud voice: "BETUZ I'm So Twute!" (cute)

That was all I could elicit.

It went a little better with Aviana, age 4. "How do you know your Mama loves you?"
She looks at me as if it's a trick question. "Betuz. You tell me you love me." The "duh" is implied, but with no disrespect.
I attempt to clarify. "What does Mama do to show you that she loves you?"
Thinks for a minute. "I know you love us betuz you let us climb in the washing machine!"
Pause. "But you only let us do that once. Tan we do that adin tomorrow?!"


19 February 2009--Apparently the best day ever.

When you come over, and I let you climb in our washing machine, you'll know I really love you.

Me: on Mothering

Well, it's 2:20 a.m. Yes. I was so exhausted, that after nursing Cadrian and putting him to bed at 7, (yes, seven) I lay down for a bit and woke up after 11. And now I'm still awake. Nice, huh?

Seeings how it's the middle of the night, what better time for some philosophical ramblings?Sit and Spin. Bare skin. Rain. It's a win-win.

One of my philosophies on mothering is that is should be fun. Lots of fun. Spontaneous fun. We sometimes spend an entire morning doing chores, and we sometimes spend an entire morning on the couch reading books. We sometimes break out the glittery tatoos for no reason in particular, or paint butterflies and ladybugs on our faces because it sounds like fun. We sometimes go to the park, sometimes we do crafts, sometimes we play games and we sometimes bake. I have a routine to the day, but I also go with the flow. Sometimes I am stern and sometimes I am gleeful, but it is almost always fun. I want to give my children a magical childhood. One where they grow up thinking that every day is the best day of the year.
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Along those same lines, I want to teach my children the joy of the Lord. Joy is something different than being happy. Happiness is temporal. It depends on your mood. If you had a good day, you're happy. If you had a rotten day, you're not. It depends on things that happen to you. It depends on the externals of your life. If you focus on happiness, you might think, I'll be happy when the kids are older and less demanding. I'll be happy when I have a different job. I'll be happy if I can just....

Joy is different. Joy is internal. The Joy of the Lord is unable to be taken from you. Trusting Him, knowing He will give me the strength to get through whatever I need to get through, gives me joy.

And speaking of strength, check out those muscles! I think the lacy socks especially, give her that "I'm super tough!" air she was going for.
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Most importantly, I want to bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord. Depending on the translation you prefer, this verse also says "nourish them, bring them up tenderly in Christian discipline, nurture, teaching, chastening, correction, and admonition of the Lord.

This is a tall order being the failed sinner that I am. Thank God for His grace, which I rely on daily. I do the best I can in reaching my children's hearts. I teach them right from wrong. I encourage them when they do right, and discipline when they do wrong. Discipline doesn't necessarily equate punishment. Sometimes it does, and while there is always a consequence for our actions, I rely on the Holy Spirit to help me to know what it should be.

I'm not perfect. I mess up. I sometimes am too strict or lose my temper or miss an opportunity for correction, but I live by grace, and so do my children.

The Bible is my guidebook. Among other things, I teach them honesty (lying is listed twice on the List of Seven Things God Hates), patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self control, compassion, humility.

Right now we're working on memorizing 1 Corinthians 13:4-7. It's amazing how many opportunities in a day with a two and four year old there are to say, "Is that kind? Was that loving?" "Did you just demand your own way? Was that loving?" "Are you being patient? Is that loving?"

Of course, I want children who say "please" and "thank you" excuse me" and know how to use their silverware who are fun to be around and who don't embarrass me in public, but more than life itself, I want children who love the Lord with all their heart, soul and mind.

I work on constantly pointing them to God, because He knows, Mama ain't got nothin' on Him. That's what I do.

daybook

My Daybook ~22 June

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Outside My Window ... HOT. Bright blue skies. HOT. Bright green grass. HOT. Fluffy white clouds. HOT. A warm summer breeze. Did I mention HOT?
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I am thinking ... I HATE conflict.

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I am thankful for ... God's grace and strength to continue on doing this work He has set before me

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From the learning rooms ... Learning to be loving and kind via 1 Corinthians 13, reinforcing it with our words and actions and the book The Hundred Dresses

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From the kitchen ... using up the 11 pounds of strawberries I picked Saturday (with the baby on my back, I hasten to add)--1/2 gone already just from eating them!
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I am wearing ... a white knee length skirt, a bright pink top w/ a light pink nursing underlayer, and right now I'm barefoot, but I was wearing these shoes But rats, they weren't on sale when I got them!

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I am creating ... fun scrapbook layouts--I recently did one using the pictures from the Butterfly Palace and one from Mother's Day: don't know what I'll be in mood for next!

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I am reading ... re-reading Proper Care and Feeding of Husbands for me, assorted magazines...Country/ Simple and Delicious/Our Iowa, The Little House cookbook (and am continually astounded with Ma Ingalls!)

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I am hoping ... I get to see my beloved grandma as much as possible while she's here in Iowa for her two week visit

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I am hearing... Anne of Green Gables on CD

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Around the house ... got the strawberry out of assorted articles, drying on the line, floor mopped, dishes done...it's a start anyway!

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One of my favorite things ... air conditioning (as long as it's not too cold, because I have to take a blanket to the movies!)

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A few plans for the rest of the week ...Park date, listen to my husband's band tonight, Grandma to my house for an overnight, hopefully a trip to the grocery, brunch here, story hour, Aviana's first dance class for the summer

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Here is a picture thought I am sharing~

My ELEVEN month old baby!

I'm having trouble wrapping my mind around the fact that in a scant month, I'll have a FIVE year old and ONE year old! Come to think of it, he looks an awful lot like that almost five year old.


I don't think he looks very much like my almost THREE year old, but this picture makes me smile! Real big!

Making the Best of It

Ach. Yesterday's plans. In the evening, I had plans to have my MIL come over and babysit, and I would go to Kevin's band gig. Then Thursday she called to tell me she had accidentally made other plans. Even though I asked her a month ago, and left a reminder note taped to her phone. So I couldn't go.

Then I decided I would just take the kids with me (it was an outdoor concert at a coffee shop). So I could go.

Then she called Kevin Thursday night to say her dinner plans had been cancelled. So I could go.

Then Friday late morning, Kevin called me to say the coffee shop had cancelled the gig because of the prediction of bad storms. Even though it was sunny and clear. So I couldn't go.

We talked about taking a road trip to a quaint little vintage restaurant, with a fantastic view of the river but by then it was storming. So we didn't go.

Kevin decided to get together with the band and practice for an hour while I took a meal to a friend who just had a baby, and we would go out to eat. I also squeezed in a visit all by my lonesome to Michael's where I just browsed to my heart's content. I got some scrapbooking 'necessities', a learn-to-knit kit for Aviana and me, clay for Brielle, and some other stuff.

Kevin and I had a nice date once we finally decided where to eat.

And in a similar, but unrelated story, I decided to take the kids to the pool for the first time this year. After getting swimsuits, swim diaper, sunscreen, water toys, bucket and shovel, floaties, beach balls, bags, drinks, a snack, a change of clothes, towels and miscellaneous other needed supplies, not to mention my three small offspring, all gathered, applied, donned, packed and hauled out to the van, driving the few miles to the pool, finding a parking place, unpacked and unloaded, and packed back up on the stroller and in hand and down to the pool, they told us the pool was closed for a half hour because they heard thunder. And if they heard it again, it would be closed for the day.

So we walked around the outside of the pool and through the fence admired the things to do, even though we couldn't do them. We walked up to the swingset and slide and played in the sand.


And by the time we got home it was pouring, so I let the girls run around outside in the rain, and play in the mud.

I still have a ton of mud to clean out of my bathtub and off the floor and the shower curtain, but we made the best of it!

Uncle Phil: on Marriage

You know how you sometimes get popcorn stuck between your teeth? And it's bugging you and bugging you and you can't get it out? And you really like popcorn and just because you get a kernel stuck between your teeth doesn't mean you like it any less or that you'll never eat it again. It's just annoying for that time until you get the kernel out from between your teeth, then your love affair with popcorn resumes! Imagine that times 1000 and that's what 30 years of marriage is like!

(My 2 year old is my annoying popcorn kernel right now. After a long discipline filled morning, she snuck outside while I was nursing the baby down. She was supposed to be lying on the bed, but instead she's lying out in the hammock. She's quiet and not bothering anyone. But she still disobeyed by going outside without permission. Now I have to go deal with that. Sigh.)

Oh I'm sorry,

Did you think you moved the strawberries out of his reach? Silly Mama.

My Daybook ~15 June

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Outside My Window ... Breezy, cloudy warmish
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I am thinking ... of the million and one ways I could/should spend these two precious hours of my day known as "Quiet time"

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I am thankful for ... Learning how to communicate with my husband

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From the learning rooms ...reconciling evolution in books to the Creation we believe

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From the kitchen ... nothing comes to mind. Is that bad? :-)
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I am wearing ... flattering Long and Lean Jeans, (huh, that's the same as last week) white tee with puff sleeves and a deep scoop neck

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I am creating ... cards to send

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I am reading ... Charlie and the Chocolate Factory with the girls, and re-reading Proper Care and Feeding of Husbands for me.

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I am hoping ... I can get over and see my dear friend who's moving many many times before she leaves....I'm so sad I can't even think about it.

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I am hearing... the children chattering

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Around the house ... I had already vacuumed by 7:30 a.m. thanks to Cadrian FINALLY sleeping through the night, and not feeling so on the edge of utter burn out

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One of my favorite things ... French manis

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A few plans for the rest of the week ... Playdate today, Hopefully to a friend's house tonight (JUST ME!!), Beth Moore Bible study tomorrow (JUST ME!!), Kindermusik and 'new baby dinner' to a friend, Birthday Party

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Here is a picture thought I am sharing~

The view from my 'back yard'

Today in 1838, the Iowa Territory was organized.

And today in 2009, I had to practically suture my baby girl.

She cut her toe. She cut herself on a magnet/marker board that had mysteriously come out of its frame. It was fairly deep, and awfully bloody but I am an awesome fixer. I pulled out my WWII medic knowledge and closed the wound. At first I thought she cut it OFF, I couldn't even see it for all the blood. I think we're going to need new carpet.

To begin with, she "couldn't walk". Apparently, lying on the couch is boring, because that didn't last very long. As it turned out, she only couldn't walk when it was time to pick up toys or come down and get ready for bed. When it was time to jump on the tramp or race her sister, she was miraculously healed.

.............................My little patient


Yesterday wasn't a good day for Cadrian either, besides tumbling down the stairs from top to bottom, diving out of the bathtub head first, poking himself on the corner of the keyboard drawer, I hit him in the head with a cast iron skillet.

They're both fine. I think God made my kids hardier than most, else I don't know how they would survive.

Did you say you wanted some pictures?

Oh you did? Then it's your lucky day...

My Daybook ~8 June

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Outside My Window ... The sun is making its way down to the horizon; incredibly breezy and cloudless

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I am thinking ... if I hear one more peep from the girls' room, they'll be in big trouble!

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I am thankful for ... Beth Moore... I've been in the WORD a lot more regularly since I started her study on Esther last week. Lovin' it!

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From the learning rooms ... life learning...

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From the kitchen ... burgers, chicken parmesan pizza on the grill, pork chops... love me some grillin'!

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I am wearing ... flattering Long and Lean Jeans, navy tee

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I am creating ... scrapbook pages without any 12x12 cardstock! I ran out! I KNOW! I can't believe it either.

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I am reading ... Creating Keepsakes magazine

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I am hoping ... it doesn't rain on Wednesday or Thursday...

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I am hearing... blessed silence (WHY does it take 45 minutes for them to settle down and fall asleep!? I should be putting them to bed at 6:15 if that's the case!)

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Around the house ... cleaning up this unmitigated disaster!

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One of my favorite things ... my six ring stacking ring my sister-in-law gave me

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A few plans for the rest of the week ...
a playdate and Target

BEING ON TV--oh yeah, you heard right. If you are in the area, tune in to see us on Wednesday at 5 on Channel 4! They're doing the weather from our back yard, and we are having a par-tay!

Big Truck Night--garbage trucks, fire engines, trolleys, snow plow, just to name a few. Plus Ice Cream Treats. Could it get any better than this?

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Here is a picture thought I am sharing~

I'm a gonna Drive My Car

If you're not familiar with that song, PLEASE click on the link. It's one of my favorites. I don't know why.

Fasting

So, Fasting, huh? What is that? Just this year I am learning more about this spiritual discipline. My only experience with fasting: At the beginning of this year, as part of the Bible study I was doing, I did a modified Daniel fast, where I ate only food God made--and cut out caffeine-- for 10 days, and if you know me at ALL, that is a BIG GIANT deal!! I did it because it was part of the Bible study, and I wanted to do what I was supposed to do. I realize now, I didn't go into it with the right frame of mind. I didn't really even know what or why I was doing it. It was like, ok, it's Tuesday, start your fast tomorrow. So I did it, but didn't get anything really out of it, except knowing I did it.

Kevin and I are part of Samaritan's Ministries, and I really like it. I mean, really really like it. I like the idea of the family of God taking care of each other. That, and our insurance company totally screwed us over in the matter of Cadrian's birth. Even though the total cost was a fraction of what a hospital birth would have been. Even though we went through all the right channels. But I digress.

Along with the information on where to send our share each month, Samaritan's Ministries sends out a newsletter about all kinds of things: political information, what's going on in the world of health care, keeping our children in the faith; it runs the gamut.

In this month's newsletter they included a copy of Abraham Lincoln's National Day of Prayer and Fasting. Imagine! A NATIONAL Day of Prayer and Fasting!

Samaritan's Ministries asked us to consider a day (or more) of prayer and fasting. They included a wealth of information about kinds of fasts, scriptural basis for them, what can be accomplished because of Christians praying and fasting. I was doing a bit more research, and came across this handy-dandy guide to fasting at Campus Crusade for Christ.

To be honest, I never really thought about fasting. My church doesn't "do" Lent. It's never really come up. But now, I'm intrigued.

Yesterday, I felt like God was asking me to "fast" from the computer. So I did. And it was good.

And now I think He's asking me to go farther. And it will be good.

I'm opening comments up for a little dialog here. Thoughts? Experiences?

No More Whining!

I just finished reading Don't Make Me Count to Three! by Ginger Plowman. I was nosing around on her website and found she has a no more whining kit. Good idea.

Her plan is pretty much this:
1-Tell your child you love them too much to speak like that.
2-Tell them they may come back and ask for whatever in a self controlled voice in three minutes. Set a timer.
3-Never give in to the whining!
You can hear more about it during this interview.


Whining really isn't too much of an issue in our home (we have plenty of other issues to make up for it). My plan is simply this:
1--I don't even answer the question or complaint. I stop them right there, looking into their eyes. I tell the child that whining isn't a respectful way to speak to me. (I like self controlled voice better, so I think I'll be switching to that.)
2--Sometimes I then talk to them in a hugely exaggerated whine so she can hear how it sounds, and how ugly it is.
3--I model a pleasant tone, and have them say what I want to hear in the pleasant tone. I then give exuberant positive feedback when they speak nicely, and respond to their request.
4--NEVER give in to the whining.