Mammalog

The Simple Woman's Daybook: December 27th

2011-12-27T07:17:00.000-08:00

FOR TODAY, December 27th

Outside my window... we awoke to a dusting of feather light snow, nearly just a heavy frost, and the sunny skies have already melted most of it. Just a hint of what's in store in the coming weeks, but it tempted me to bundle the kids and go for a walk nonetheless.

I am thinking... about the year ahead. Over the years, I've worked to simplify my life and create more time and space for family. I'm feeling the pull to simplify further, to decrease the daily running and increase my daily investment in my home, my God, and his plans for my family. Today, I am reflecting and praying about what changes are necessary.

I am thankful... for a lazy morning at home after several days of celebrating with extended family. Noah and Miriam are getting along beautifully for the time being, a huge blessing while Big Sister is with her dad and not here to provide some added entertainment.

From the learning rooms... Our oldest has been learning all sorts of life lessons this year, namely the value of practicing and learning things that don't come easily to her. I haven't taught this lesson well thus far, partly because school has come fairly easily in the past few years. Working hard for something difficult is a vital lesson to learn, and I'll continue to work to instill that value in her.

We gave Noah his first chapter book for Christmas: Magic Tree House. I was a little leery of starting him on higher level reading too early, but he read chapter one with me last night and finished confident and not at all frustrated.

Miriam's Santa gift this year was a LeapPad Explorer, a perfect item for her weekly car rides to and from ballet class. True to herself, she progresses at her own pace. It's not always the one I'm comfortable with or the one that I'd choose for her, but I've learned (and I'm still learning) to escort her and cheer her on rather than try to push.

In the kitchen... there are plans for easy winter meals- the kind that simmer or roast all day and come in bowls with cornbread on the side- vegetable soup, chili, and pot roast. Winter dinners are some of my favorites. The house smells good all afternoon, and the kitchen is a bit cozier than the rest of the year.

I am creating... my 2012 family calendar. It seems full of weekly demands, but they are activities that each of my children look forward to and always attend excitedly.

I am reading... an awesome read for parents of boys (of all ages). It full of clear explanations and practical, bible-based advice. Like all books, I'm reading it as advice and not scripture, but I've gotten many nuggets from this book, and I really wish I'd read it when my son was younger.

I am looking forward to... finding out if I'm getting a niece or a nephew at the end of this week! I've been praying for a healthy ultrasound for my sister and brother-in-law first and foremost, but I'm getting excited about being able to start some projects for the little guy/gal.

I am hearing... the sounds of a big brother teaching a little sister to play Super Mario Bros beside me. I'm sure it'll turn into a squabble over turns soon enough, but that's life around here. We revel in the goodness while it lasts!

Around the house... I've sorted and cleared the kitchen and game cabinet to make room for Christmas gifts. It left me wanting to sort and clear out every nook and cranny of our home, but I think I'll work on laundry and wait until I'm more sane to decide what items we need and what can be donated.

I am pondering... Gift-giving. Every year, I leave Christmas feeling like gift exchanges are frivolity and not as much a genuine giving. It seems to me that we need to be giving gifts of time and talent rather than tossing $30 toward a cashier for a gift that we hope our family members will like. I can think of gifts of time I could have given to each person on my gift list this year, and I think they may have been happier with that than anything I could have wrapped and placed under a tree. Something to think about for next year, but it's also something I could be doing all year long.

One of my favorite things... I got for Christmas was the bracelet my oldest gave me. For weeks before Christmas, she was excited about her choice. When I opened it, I realized just how grown up she is becoming. I loved it because it was obvious that she hadn't thought of herself while choosing it. She'd carefully chosen something that had elements of her mamma's favorite things, an ability that she struggled with in past years.

A few plans for the rest of the week: a few store exchanges for my oldest whose feet are, apparently, nearly as big as my own. Both the house slippers and rain boots she received for Christmas were too small, and I thought I may have been purchasing too large! We're hoping to catch up with friends who we didn't see often enough this fall, but mostly, I plan to camp out at home and play with the kids!

Here is picture for thought I am sharing...

Road Trip: A Wisconsin Adventure

2011-07-29T11:30:00.000-07:00

During my two hour drive to meet my husband and get away for the weekend, I prayed. I petitioned for our safety during our travel, offered thanks for the opportunity to retreat from the stress of child rearing and work and focus on our marriage for a while, and asked that Amos and I grow together in Christ, being open to what seeds may be planted during our trip. I just love when God answers prayer! We left the ol' mini van in St. Louis, packed the Versa, and we were headed north!

An overnight stay with a great friend and a quick stop at my favorite cupcakery later, we found ourselves across the Wisconsin border. The topography looked much like Missouri's rolling hills, lush green foliage, and rural communities. We marveled in details unique to Wisconsin. The endless water that peeked once in a while from behind the hills and midwest forests felt foreign to this Missouri gal, used to endless rolling hills. In my travels, the land has always dissolved into sand and palms or jungle-like greenery before the horizon was filled with sparkling water. As we drove along the edge of Lake Michigan, we saw quaint red barns scattered like a city's Starbucks.

Being in Wisconsin felt genuine, simple, and wholesome. More than anywhere else I've been, the farmland and rural communities were filled with a love for Christ. It is a subtle excitement, one that seemed to be a way of life here. Communities seemed to be confidently rooted in God's Word.

Door County, Wisconsin's "thumb" is sandwiched between Green Bay and Lake Michigan. Blonde haired children working the family campground greeted us with soft Wisconsin accents. Amos and I loved that we were never more than twenty minutes from a shoreline, and we loved that the sun rose and set over a water horizon in this rural community. What a blessing to have the awe of both in one place!

We sat on the dock of the bay and watched the sunset together.

Cherry season is serious business in Door County. Amos and I took our bucket to the orchard rows and filled it with dark red berries. We picked cherries as it started to sprinkle, and walked back toward the barn through a shower of heavy, cold Wisconsin raindrops. It was perfect.

We spent a day in Chicago before heading home, and while we hadn't planned on this adventure, we both enjoyed our day sightseeing together. I loved getting to show my husband a city that I love. We enjoyed the bustle of the city and the quiet of the parks with the Chicago skyline behind us.

We traveled to the 95th floor of John Hancock to enjoy the view from atop the city. We walked Navy Pier and Chicago's Riverwalk. We discovered new neighborhoods that left this girl excited to explore them on the next visit. We stopped into the world of American Girl which hit a soft spot with a certain Daddy who brought a very special doll home for his youngest daughter.

The drive home began with music and comfortable silence, and transitioned to a sharing of faith, struggles, advice, and appreciation for one another. If we had needed to be away from home for a month in order to share those last four hours, it would have been worth it.

Praise be to God who know what we need even when we are clueless!

Summer/School

2011-07-21T12:00:00.000-07:00

It's kind of amazing how much a mom's identity is formed by her children. It's been ten years since I've been home without children. From my first pregnancy, I've assumed my God-given duties as a mother with honor. I've been present as much as possible to raise my three, and even in my teaching years, my oldest was in school and I was home when she was. When Noah came along, I submitted my resignation, not thinking twice about explaining that educating my own child was my priority. I've been a homemaker ever since. There has ALWAYS been a need for me to be physically present with my children. If I was away from them, it came with relief mixed with a tiny bit of "I hope they don't need my while I'm gone." Mothering my children has been a constant, 24 hour/day job for years, but those hours are about to change.

The year ahead is daunting. One child is moving from elementary to middle school, another beginning kindergarten, and the third will start preschool. It all seems like too much all at once, and I worry about being able to be supportive enough of each one of them simultaneously. All three of them will need extra attention in the next couple months as they adapt to their new schools, and all the while I'm going to have to find my own way into my altered role as Mom. How will I cram all the teaching that I did over 13 hours each day into a mere six? Are they ready?

For now, I'm choosing to soak up as much summer as I can while it lasts!

Play Ball!

2011-06-21T10:08:00.000-07:00

I love this time of year. Ball Season. Maybe it's because I grew up around so many die-hard Cardinals fans, maybe because I have so many memories of my own childhood softball summers, or maybe I'm just a sucker for a boy in a baseball uniform!

He does look handsome after all!

Proposal

2011-05-20T20:09:00.000-07:00

I love it when I catch a glimpse of my son's tender heart. Tonight the whole family went shopping together at J.C. Penny. We stopped by the jewelry department for Big Sister, and a round stand of boxed rings caught Little Mister's eye. He was SO excited to see so many rings, and at first, I couldn't understand why. After examining a few one at a time, he spun around, looked up at me with excitement in his blue eyes and proclaimed, "This is the perfect ring to give my bride when I'm big!" I was so stunned as I realized why he's been so happy to see the ring display. His use of the term "Bride" made me tear up a bit, and just his anticipation of marriage truly made my heart swell.

I've always impressed upon my children that marriage is not the only plan God lays before his children. I've talked with all of them about the possibility of being called to religious life or simply to live single in order to serve God in a special way. My sweet Little Mister had never faltered in his desire to be a husband and daddy. His mind is often consumed with the steps he must take in order to be ready to lead a family, and I'm coming to realize that marriage and fatherhood seems to be written in his heart.

Our home contains its share of disagreements, and snide remarks are, unfortunately, tossed between my husband and I from time to time. I'm so thankful that God allowed me this opportunity to see that my husband and I are living an example of marriage that our 5 year old sees as exciting and important and a PRIVILEGE. He watches my husband work so hard for us and notices that Daddies should get down and play with their kids. When he thinks about what career he'd like to have, his concern is always his ability to be a good daddy with his job.

Standing in that department store watching my son kneel down on one knee, box held in front of him and ask, "Will you marry me?" with a huge grin on his face, I was in awe of the child in front of me, so grown up in just five years. How precious and fleeting is the gift of parenthood.

Ten Grand

2011-02-21T15:23:00.001-08:00

Tomorrow I'll be taking my van to the shop once again. The cost to work on the suspension will likely be $1000. I cried when I found out. I always cry. I am weak and get frustrated with the unexpectedness of it all. This will put our total van repairs over the 10,000 mark. That's right. TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS over the last three years.

So where does that put our loan payoff movement, the one that we started less than a week ago? Right on schedule thanks to the savings we stashed for inevitable circumstances like this one! I'll rebuild our lost savings with extra earnings here and there, and if our balance falls below our comfort level, we'll pause our extra debt payments and focus on nursing the account.

It feels great to feel in charge of our income. I know that it'll take us three years to pay everything, assuming no job loss or tragedy strikes our family. But that's not as terrifying as it used to be, not as overwhelming. I know we're getting ready for something more, a life that God intended us to live. We've purchased college degrees and vehicles on credit, learned first hand why Jesus taught against borrowing money, and now we're finally going to live with financial responsibility. God didn't intend for us to live the three years of financial headache ahead of us; we created that mess. A necessary, self-inflicted life of living paycheck to paycheck is no one's fault but our own. It's strangely empowering to acknowledge that failure; it comes with an awareness that we can control our finances.

If you haven't invested a few minutes into this website, you really should. Mr. Ramsey operates largely on common sense and it's very likely you're already familiar with his financial theory. His conservative, Christian views of financial planning have earned my respect and attention in the last year or so. And for all you Missourians, he'll be visiting Kansas City in two weeks. My husband's busy then, but I'm really considering making the drive and bribing my sis and brother-in-law (hint, hint) into watching my kiddos.

Financial Dieting

2011-02-15T11:17:00.000-08:00

I just sealed our first extra vehicle loan payment into its envelope. According to the math, we should be able to pay off the remaining three year term of our loan in... 5 months. When I figured (and refigured) that timeline, there was no way to do anything but dive, head first, back into frugal living. The numbers work on paper; in reality we will undoubtedly be faced with unexpected expenses along the way (like the thousands of dollars we poured into vehicle repairs last year). Realistically, we should be able to finish before Christmas.

We've knocked our vacation plans to the bare bones: our beloved east coast beach vacation... the one that we take almost every other year. We share the cost of a beachfront house in a gated neighborhood with several other families. We make the 16 hour drive there and back without an overnight stay. We spend little extra while there; the beach is our amusement park/spa/party scene. We'll spend $700, far less than the $2,000 I wanted to spend taking the family to Pennsylvania this summer. We could have saved the expense completely and stayed home, but there's something to be said for truly resting and enjoying your family for a week.

Drive thru trips for caffeine have been diminished to once a week, house projects requiring a purchase of materials will be postponed, and the mattress that might have been purchased with a tax return will wait. Yard sales are in the works, an embarrassing amount of baby clothing and gear to purge. Extra income opportunities will go toward debt instead of fun. We'll spend more time at home.

Sure, we'll get off track. We'll kick ourselves for purchases we didn't need. We'll bask in a splurge on pizza for dinner once in a while when this mamma's just worn out. But the reality of our finances is not easily forgotten; I am reminded of the potential power in the budget I've written each time I hold my debit card. At the very least, I'm constantly weighing our financial options and making smarter choices. It's amazing how much money we throw into drive through windows if we're not careful.

White Chocolate

2010-12-06T15:16:00.000-08:00

Happy Advent! Lots of stuff has kept me from the keyboard lately! But... I'm pretty excited that our Christmas tree is being featured on DIY Newlyweds today! I've been dreaming of a white tree for five years, and this year I finally took advantage of an early sale and added to my Christmas decor! I've been calling it white chocolate because I decorated with dark brown.

Shopping Bag Cake: Tutorial in Text

2010-11-17T19:59:00.000-08:00

I had so much fun making this shopping bag cake for my Aunt's birthday! I started with two 9x13 cakes cut in half lengthwise and stacked 4 high. The great thing about this cake was that I was able to slather buttercream between the layers and over the entire structure without worrying about neatness.

I cut 4 sheets of fondant to fit the dimensions of the cake and wrote the store name in black food coloring. Then I tinted and rolled fondant and cut random shapes for my tissue paper. I let all of this dry overnight.

I applied my sheets to each side of my "bag" and used buttercream on the corner seams. I twirled 12 " strands of black fondant and folded them over the top of of my larger panels for my bag handles. My tissue paper laid on top of the cake.

On the side was a fondant gift tag with a Happy Birthday message paired with a "bracelet" made from black fondant "beads" strung on florist wire.

And there you have it! I would love to do this shopping bag cake again in a couture label or maybe a Victoria's Secret. It was such a simple design but would work for so many occasions!

The Homestead

2010-11-16T13:55:00.000-08:00

As my family drove down the gravel road that led to my grandparents' homestead, we stopped the car to take in the view one last time. My grandma's house could be seen long before it was actually reached. All my life, I'd welcomed the view of the old house on the hill. As we drove closer, I would watch to see whose vehicles were parked in the driveway. Sometimes we were the only visitors, but more often than not, we were welcome additions to a home already filled with conversation.

Now that hill stands void of the home that held a lifetime of memories, but I was blessed with quiet moments of solitude spent documenting and reflecting on my most cherished memories there.

A white gate greeted visitors at the front of the yard. As children, we would ride as it swung closed. The gate kept us within the safety of our yard games of make-believe, tag, and tree climbing. When we were given permission to explore the land beyond the yard, the gate opened to the grove of trees in the field, from which would would yell at the hill beyond and wait for our echos. The maze of tree roots proves the perfect floor plan for games of house or school. Sometimes we'd trek even further, to the creek and the rock hills that were scattered with wildflowers in the summertime.

The swings were old, made of wooden planks and rusted chains secured to a heavy, metal frame. If you were a seasoned swinger, you could stretch your legs all the way through your toes and just brush the trunk of the old tree that stood before the set.

Beneath the old hickory tree stood a pump house, filled with canned goodies from the garden and fresh cool water that was carried into the house for drinking. When the old heavy door was swung open, I was greeted by a cool, fresh dampness almost like air after a spring rain. A wooden swing hung from a branch of the tree. It was replaced over the years, but the swing always proved the perfect place to visit with my grandma. As children, we'd gather hickory nuts and crack them open on the concrete base of the well. Piles and piles could be gathered at the right time of year.

When Grandpa was alive, we'd watch with anticipation as he stood at the front of the dock, spreading a coffee can of fish food atop the surface of the lake. Sometimes there would be a frenzy of perch, but the real excitement came when someone spied the whiskers of a catfish gulping the pellets. Then it was time to cast the lines and watch for the bobbers to disappear into the water. On overnight visits, we'd take the old fishing boat onto the water and set baited jugs for the catfish, and in the morning, we'd pull the jugs in to see what we'd caught. What a shock it was to find a snapping turtle hooked one morning!

Though my grandparents' home no longer stands behind the old Dinner Bell, the memories and stories are not forgotten. And although it was a sad day when we gathered as family under that roof one last time, I was able to see the excitement of my younger cousin who, at 18, rang the iron bell for dinner for the first time. I was able to hold my grandma's hand and watch my children play with their cousins. I was able to help my kids select trinkets to carry home with them and receive special pieces of my own, so that each of us have a part of that home with us.

Little Star

2010-11-15T18:56:00.000-08:00

Christmas is still weeks away, but most people have already begun to prepare for the celebration, be it shopping and crafting gifts for loved ones, baking and freezing cookies, or even displaying a Christmas tree. In my home, funds for Christmas gifts are working into the budget in advance, but short of that, little preparation for the celebration begins before December. The weeks of Advent are traditionally a time to prepare ourselves for Christ's coming. That preparation is two-fold. We prepare ourselves to celebrate The Savior's birth, but perhaps more importantly, we take extra care to see that we are prepared when He comes again. My November preparations, this year, have centered around finding ways to prepare the hearts of my family for Jesus. God sent me the perfect tool to remind my children of Christ's sacrifice for them.

A while back, I was blessed with the opportunity to receive and review a truly great children's book, This Little Prayer of Mine, by Anthony DeStefano. Recently, I opened my mail box to find his newest children's book, Little Star. What a truly unique view from which to tell the Nativity Story! Let's face it, when it comes to The Nativity, it's all too easy for the events to seem mundane, common in the eyes of our children. Mary and Joseph ride a donkey to Bethlehem, have to camp in a stable when there's no room at the inn, Baby Jesus is born, angels sing, shepherds and wise men come. The end. I find it vital that such a sacred story, a gift with such unfathomable value, be presented in a way that instills reverence, excitement, and gratification for God's sacrifice. Little Star accomplishes all three.

As exquisitely illustrated pages turn in this story about the Christmas Star, a beautiful parallel is drawn between the star's role in Jesus' birth and the role that Jesus plays in our divinity. One Little Star gives everything it has to Jesus, and Jesus gave everything he had in his life on Earth for us. The comparison was easily understood by my four-year-old son, and the story continues to stir conversations about The Nativity.

For now, I've tucked the book away, waiting until the Advent season to bring it out again. I'm praying that the story continues to feed my children's awareness of God's sacrificial gift of His Son. I pray that you, too, are given tools this season to share the true meaning of Christmas with your children, not so much kindness and charity (though these are important), but the celebration of Christ humbling himself so that we may live forever with Him in Heaven.

Happy Holidays,

Mamma M's 5 Question Friday: September 10th

2010-09-10T06:53:00.000-07:00

1. Do you feel guilty spending money on yourself?

Not usually. I mostly feel guilty about frivolous purchases altogether. It might be a super cute shirt for Little Mister, a to-die-for hat for Little Miss, or a hardback book for Big Sister that I know I wait and purchase in paperback. And it might be a shirt that I bought regular price because I loved it that much.

2. How well do you know your neighbors?

Our next-door neighbors are my first cousins, and my aunt and uncle live one more house away. It's nice to know that if anything ever happens, reliable people are so close.

Last night (randomly) my husband and I perused the sex offender list for our town... I really would hate to live next to someone on that list and not have a clue! One of them lives on a street we almost moved to not so long ago. Scary and sad... enough said.

3. What age are you looking forward to being?

I really wouldn't want to speed up time. Heaven knows it passes faster than I'd like already. I'm looking forward to 33 and 43. At 33, at the latest, we'll be free from student loan debt. THAT will be an awesome feeling and will open up so many options in our life. At 43, we'll be at the start of our empty nest, and I can't wait to see where God leads us in that phase of our marriage. I love, love, love my kids and our life together, but I'm so looking forward to being a mom of adult children as well!

4. Do you get excited when the mail comes? Why?

Not really. I don't hate it. I don't love it. It's just a daily occurrence like showers and laundry. Now, the UPS or FedEx arrival?? Definitely excitement!

5. What is your earliest childhood memory?

I few years ago, I told my mom about a memory of mine in a playpen in a bedroom with 70's brown carpet. It turns out that that my parents has purchased and remodeled a rental house, and I had spent the majority of the work hours playing in a playpen in the brown carpeted bedroom. I was one.

Mamma M's 5 Question Friday: September 3rd

2010-09-03T07:45:00.000-07:00

1. What do you do when you have time to yourself?

For the past couple weeks, it's been yoga or a walk/jog. Hubby's been gone until bedtime most days for the past six months, so my daily kid-free time is sparse!

I save computer time for the kids' daily movie- this morning they're watching High School Musical 2. It was Little Miss' turn to choose, but Little Mister secretly enjoys breaking down to some of the faster songs.

2. When you look out your kitchen window, what do you see?

We live on a hill, and my kitchen window looks up the hill behind our house. Trees sit scattered and my grandma's rock flower bed perimeter sits still begging me to revive it. A line of dirt still sits from the drainage pipes that were installed during the renovation. Up the hill 50 yards is the forest line, full of oak trees with already fading green leaves.

3. Who/What would you want to be reincarnated as?

Man, as much as I love my life and appreciate this wonderful world, I'm really hoping that I don't get stuck back here to do it all over again after I kick the bucket. I'd much rather be walking in Paradise!

4. What is your biggest pet peeve about other people's kids?

Kids who forget their manners in someone else's home and act like they run the place. Now, admittedly, my kids are not the perfect house guests either, so they drive me nuts sometimes as well.

5. Regular or Diet soda?

Diet Dr. Pepper. But it's been weeks since I've had much but water. I had a McDonald's DDP after ten days of none, and I have to say, it wasn't fabulous. I'm beginning to see that it was more habbit than true enjoyment! :-)

The Best Medicine: Shutter Love Tuesday

2010-08-31T09:06:00.000-07:00

Even years later, this picture of my then boyfriend (now husband) and my sister cracks me up-- After all... laughter is contagious!

PS- this was taken just hours before he took me for a walk under the stars and popped The Question!

Mamma M's 5 Question Friday: August 27th

2010-08-26T13:24:00.000-07:00

1. How many pets do you have?

Two cats, a brother and sister of our old cat who stayed behind to hunt mice at our old residence. We had a dog not so long ago who was not so nice and had to be put down. Maybe someday we'll have another... If we do, I want to get this kind. Crazy, I know, but they're coats are virtually maintenance free, and they're supposed to be fairly low-maintenance in general. Plus, how fun would it be to walk this dog around town?

www.directoryofdogs.com

2. If you could switch places with anyone in the world for one day, who would it be?

I'd say some rich lady on vacation in Greece, but I'd be afraid to let her have my life for the day. I don't think my kids would appreciate a stranger in the house! I think I'd like to switch places with Big Sister- classic Freaky Friday, right? I think it'd be very interesting to see her around her teachers and friends for a day.

3. What is your favorite money saving tip?

Stay home more. If you're not out and about, it's way harder to spend money!

4. What do you want your kids to be when they grow up?

Mostly, I just pray that each of them follows the vocations God intends. I would LOVE to see Little Mister serving God as a priest someday, or the girls as nuns. If they are called to married life, I want my son to be a strong leader of his family and my daughters to be the hearts of their homes. What I THINK they'll be is a different question entirely, but I'd bet money that Big Sister will work with animals in some way! The other two are too young to speculate!

5. What is your favorite quote?

It requires less character to discover the faults of others than it does to tolerate them.

The Simple Woman's Daybook: November 1st

2010-08-19T19:13:00.000-07:00

For Today... November 1, 2010

Outside my window... Grey skies and crisp air might be depressing on some days, but I'm personally excited to ditch all the jack-o-lanterns around here and replace them with Thanksgiving touches!

From the kitchen... the espresso maker brewed up a great white chocolate late this morning. I'm off to a Williams-Sonoma cooking class tonight with a great friend. It's a Thanksgiving dinner class, and I hope to pick up a few tips and ideas!

From the Learning Rooms... Lots of counting these days. Little Mister is working on counting by 10's, and his reading skills seem to be growing steadily. Little Miss, always on her own schedule, surprised us a few weeks ago with her alphabet song. It was nice to know that my efforts weren't being ignored. Now we're working on learning letters. It's been difficult to introduce new concepts to her because I don't want to push them if she hasn't mastered the building blocks needed for a new skill.

I am creating...

I was really happy with the weekend's cake!

Little Miss and I are already planning her birthday cake- Strawberry Shortcake. I can't believe she's almost three...

I am praying... for Baby Ella and her family... and all families who have lost a child to anencephaly.

Around the house... It's a disaster. Let's face it. There are toys everywhere!

One of my favorite things...

The rare times when these two get along well enough for a sweet picture. Little Mister isn't the most affectionate big brother, but we're working on it!

A few plans for the rest of the week... Amidst the normal taxiing, a horse is being delivered to my parents' farm. It's finally one that Big Sister will be able to ride. That means that it's time to arrange for riding lessons and riding gear. I've been praying for a way to give her a shot as the activity she's passionate about, and it's still hard to believe that I'm going to be able to provide her with this opportunity!

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...

The eskimo...

The super-heroine...

And the video game heros...

Join the daybook group or see other daybooks here!

Home Away from Home: Shutter Love Tuedsay

2010-08-10T14:10:00.000-07:00

Since I was born, we've taken trips every other year to Garden City Beach, South Carolina. It's so difficult to express the feeling of driving down Waccamaw Drive, getting the first glimpse of the Atlantic and that first whiff of ocean air. I'm so blessed with a husband that has climbed right on board and let me continue the tradition in our life together, and I was SO excited when we were able to share the experience with Little Mister and Little Miss for the first time!

Reminiscing...

2010-07-29T17:01:00.000-07:00

When you come to visit my grandma, the first thing you'll notice is an old iron dinner bell at the front of her yard, rising twenty feet in the air, still standing strong though its task of calling the family in for supper has long since been relinquished.

The dinner bell has always signaled the hubbub of family coming together in the kitchen to share good food, good stories, and simple love.

As children, it called us in from our explorations of the farm, fishing escapades, and games of house in the tree grove. We would kick off our shoes on the way into the crowd and weave a path toward the line already forming at the buffet style meal. Cheesy potatoes, pasta, meatloaf, homemade rolls, corn and green beans fresh from the garden awaited.

As teens, the bell interrupted conversations with cousins on yard swings, walks down to dusty road to the creek, and quiet reflecting. We piled plates with slightly more sensible food choices and headed to the back bedroom where extra tables sat on the blue shag carpet.

As parents, it urged us to fill plates for little ones. We settled bibbed babies into high chairs and left aunts or husbands to tend them while we joined the back of the line to fill our own plates.

The dinner bell was never to be rang without permission, and only a few times can I remember watching the result of a child sounding a false alarm. But many tempted hands reached for the heavy chain that hung almost out of arms' reach, wanting to see what muscle was needed to pull it. Once or twice, it was my turn to ring the bell. I remember grabbing the chain as high up as I could reach and hanging with all my weight... once, twice, three times to create the clang that delighted my ears.

It's been years since I've heard the hollow dong of that bell. It stands now as a yard ornament, and my children will not share my memories of it. Now, holidays are celebrated at the homes of aunts and uncles, and a quick shout out the front door or call on a cell phone is all that is needed for dinner to begin.

For now, my grandma's house stands lonely, hopeful for her return from her extended hospital stay... eager to wrap her once again in the memories of happy marriage, family love, and joyous blessings created within the walls of that old house. And rest assured, the first Sunday meal shared after her return will most definitely start with the dong of that old dinner bell.

Seeking Direction

2010-07-28T20:00:00.000-07:00

Laying beside my sleeping husband a couple nights ago, my mind was wandering aimlessly, noting the to-do's of the next day, wondering about the changes ahead of us, and finally mulling over what on earth to do about our son. Abruptly, I remembered unpacking books from the final moving boxes the week before, in particular, The Power of a Praying Parent. I felt compelled to retrieve the book right then, but the fear of being too tired to mother in the morning kept me under the covers, as if that's a valid reason to resist the nudging of God.

Tonight, I sat down in the midst of the day's aftermath and opened the cover for the first time since Big Sister was a toddler. I dredged through the typical first chapter introduction, wondering if I'd be able to focus long enough to get to the meat of it. After pages of preparation scattered with scripture, I prayed the chapter's concluding prayer and meditated momentarily over the words.

Then my worries, guilt, frustrations, anger, ignorance, and lack of direction came pouring out jumbled and precise, beautiful and disgusting. I prayed for my son in a way that I never have, adding another guilt to unload through my prayer. I sat by his bed with my hand on his back, offering my son's life and my parenting for the glory of God. I cried a storm of silent tears sitting there with my hand on his little back.

Almost instantaneously, God directed me back to His path. The path that was familiar not so long ago seems so uncomfortable in this moment. Where I was wandering aimlessly through our days, our life, my son was following diligently. Oh, how I pray that he follows me as I struggle to get back on God's track with my mothering!

Pour our your heart like water in the presence of the Lord; Lift up your hands to him for the lives of your little ones. (Lamentations 2:19)

Shopper's Club

2010-07-27T19:15:00.000-07:00

I'm officially in the Etsy shoppers' club! My first purchase: laundry room decor...

I scored these 1920-30's child hangers for $22. Judge if you like, but it was a steal compared to the 1 not-so-cute one I managed to find at the local antique mall for $15.

I have grand plans to hang some vintage children's clothing on these hangers and pair the set with the antique washboard I brought home and the wooden vintage-inspired laundry sign I picked up at Hobby Lobby. I know decorating a laundry room isn't on everyone's priority list, but mine happens to be doorless and wide open to the most socialized room in our house-- the kitchen!

Photographing Yours

2010-07-06T12:00:00.000-07:00

Originally posted last year...

6 Practical Tips for Photographing Your Kids

Get way above him or down on his level. Find a chair to boost yourself, lay on your stomach, put him on a couch and kneel. Getting above him makes for bigger eyes, but in general, seeing eye to lens with your kid is a great angle.
Lower your expectations. Don't expect a 2 year old to pose like a teenager. Go with the flow, and keep snapping. You never know what might look amazing once it's off the camera. That said...
Have lots of ideas. Be prepared to present a high-energy, engaging experience, and your child is more likely to think of pictures as a game rather than an obligation. Just don't forget to let her be in charge so long as she's safe.
Up the frequency, not the duration. Simply cutting time in front of your camera will do wonders for a munchkin. I find it very effective to shoot 15 minutes at a time or less, but I take portrait potential shots every couple weeks.
Timing is Everything. Spontaneity is priceless. Notice she's in a particularly happy mood? Grab the opportunity. Love the outfit you put together, or is he having a good hair day for once? Maybe she's just miraculously stain free. Take advantage! Make sure that your child has napped and is fed if you do plan ahead.
Appearance is (almost) everything. There is a big difference between a picture of him in jeans/solid shirt/styled hair and his underwear/favorite stained spongebob tee/bed head. Stick with simple, tastefully trendy, or bold and bright. Generally, avoid images, obvious logos, and words. Don't forget about shoes. None to match? Bare feet are better! Accessories can be a great plus too. Hats for boys or girls, belts for boys, bracelets, purses, hair bows, or rings. Just be careful not to overdo it-- unless you're going for the "found mommy's jewelry box" angle!
Group shots-- It doesn't have to be a screaming match to get them all together. Make it a contest, game, or adventure- whatever gets them close and looking at you. Who cares if they think they're pirates? All the "Arrrg, Mateys!" are bound to make them crack a smile eventually.
BE PATIENT. And not just for the duration of a "shoot." Getting a picture you want to hang in your house can take several tries. Just treat it like playing with your kid, and you'll end up capturing something priceless!

Sweet Summertime

2010-07-05T09:40:00.000-07:00

Little Miss is at my FAVORITE photography age... the age where you can easily capture those natural smiles, the age where there's an abundance of silliness, the age where they're still able to ignore a camera and just play.

Independence Day Reflections

2010-07-04T19:04:00.000-07:00

I can't begin to describe how it felt to have my family of 5 all under the same roof again this weekend. Big Sister had been at her dad's for three weeks and returned tonight for another stretch of visit, but for a brief 36 hours, we were complete again! For a day and a half, the younger two got a tiny taste of the life they're used to, the one with a big sister to direct the games... For a day and a half, I was able to listen to the theories of an almost-ten-year-old, the bizarre and the insightful. For a while, I was able to coax the laughter and silliness from a girl who has seemed out of sorts during our phone conversations.

Independence Day is always a bit of an oxymoron in my life. The years when I get to spend the holiday with Big Sister are like tiny islands in the midst of a sea of six weeks without her, and I am reminded of how much I long for independence from custody arrangements. Each year on Independence Day, I revel in being another year closer to a time when custody arrangements will be mute, when Big Sister will be an adult, fully able to make her own decisions, able to live by a visitation schedule that she chooses.

I can't blame anyone but myself, of course. After all, my decisions led her and I straight to the lives we're living... good lives, but not ones free from the scars of my poor decisions, decisions with outcomes made glorious through God's grace. Tonight, while the countryside explodes with the sparkle and glow of the celebration of freedom, I sit thinking of the empty bed upstairs and pray for God's continued hand in Big Sister's life and trust that she will continue to grow in faith, confidence, and wisdom.

Dipping My Toes Back In...

2010-07-01T09:33:00.000-07:00

Well... an unintentional blogging break- have to admit, it's felt great not to bother with my computer past my email account for the last month! My break from the world wide web really started on our family vacation to Colorado the first of June. Having misplaced my car charger, I found myself without a cell phone for the majority of the trip. I checked my messages periodically, but that was it- no ringing potential, no clock, no option to text or call anyone.

HEAVEN.

It made me wish we could cancel our cell service and set up the old land line answering machine. Life is just simpler without the expectation that you'll be available at everyone's beck and call.

And so I decided to let myself neglect the internet in exchange for time with the kids, time to catch up on business, time with family, and most importantly time with God. It's been a peaceful month, one full of craziness, vehicle problems, weddings, and too many day trips, but so much peace through it all. I think we should all soak up a stretch of old-fashioned simplicity once in a while and take the time to enjoy the life around us that God created... not Microsoft or Apple.

Playin' After the Rain...

2010-05-21T13:35:00.000-07:00

The Simple Woman's Daybook: May 4th

2010-05-04T06:50:00.000-07:00

For Today... May 4, 2010

Outside my window... I literally can't see the sky through the trees anymore. My flower bed is looking slightly more tame after the hour I spent pulling weeds, but it's still a disorganized mess after a decade or more of neglect! I think the best bet is to pull it all up come fall and reorganize... now if I just had a clue what I was doing!

I'm going to try my hand at a few tomato plants this year. Just 3-4, but they'll get planted next week! Hopefully we'll be able to satisfy Hubby's craving for garden tomatoes this year.

From the kitchen... Today I'm making broccoli salad and tuna salad to eat for lunches this week. Also on the menu are Chicken Parmesan and Garlic Chicken... and we'll see what E-mealz has in store for the rest of the week!

I am wearing... blue PJ pants, greet camisole. Kinda pathetic, I know. I should've been in the shower hours ago.

From the Learning Rooms... Reading, writing, and addition. I'm working on a final thematic unit to finish off the year... Then it's on to institutional preschool next year.

I am creating... Necklaces. This is my first:

And a new cake that left me wanting to do some real high heels.

I am praying... that God will bless my little sister and her fiance as they job hunt.

Around the house... general tidying is in order for today. Lots of random toys and games have made their way out of the kids' bedrooms.

One of my favorite things... my new stacking laundry baskets. I finally have some semblance of organization in my laundry room!

A few plans for the rest of the week... A trip to the zoo on Saturday for the USO's Day at the Zoo, my parents' anniversary on Saturday, and Mother's Day on Sunday!

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...

I'm going to miss this scene this summer! There's just something about the beach... isn't there?

Join the daybook group or see other daybooks here!

St. Louis Adventure Rundown

2010-05-02T11:46:00.000-07:00

We had a great pseudo-weekend in St. Louis last week! We stopped by the Whittle Shortline Railroad in Valley Park. Where I picked up Little Mister's train table from a Craig's List ad, the seller told me about the store/play area. We finally got around to venturing off the interstate. It was so worth it- there were four wooden train tables including one that must've been 20 feet long. The kids were able to stand in the open area in the middle of the table and play. The store itself was a little disappointing. The selection of trains was similar to a really great toy store... but no one was begging me to purchase anything, so it was really a good thing!

We grabbed lunch and headed to Laumeier Sculpture Park. The kids ended up leading me on a 2 hour hike through the park's woods. Even Little Miss trekked the whole way.

We headed to Jilly's Cupcake Bar for a sweet indulgence. The kids loved their treat, and I had fun watching their excitement and enjoyment! Probably not worth the expense, but it was a fun splurge nonetheless!

We checked into our hotel next, and the kids enjoyed watching TV until Daddy got off work and joined us. I found it pretty amusing that my poor satellite-less children were so pumped to watch Word Girl and Animal Planet.

With Daddy, we stopped by Hobby Lobby and headed to Texas Roadhouse for dinner... then back to the hotel for bedtime!

The next morning we attended a story time that was part of the St. Louis Storytelling Festival. It was one of those presentations that included goofy songs, got the kids bouncing and singing along, and was generally a fabulous free 45 minutes. The storyteller is the children's librarian in Columbia, MO and made me want to drive there for her story hours!

The event took place in the St. Louis Carousel building in Faust Park, so we paid our $4 and all rode the carousel before we headed home.

Mamma M's 5 Question Friday: April 30, 2010

2010-04-30T12:52:00.000-07:00

1. If you could, would you go back to high school?

Nope. And I swear it's not because I was knocked up! I actually loved high school. I had great friends, great teachers, great activities... my high school life was really the setting for a great pre-teen chapter book... up until the part where I got off track.

I would never choose to go back to high school because I'm so much happier and fulfilled and confident now that I've grown up a bit... now that I've gotten over that invincibility complex that plagues the teenage population.. now that I'm living for other people. I really think that happiness is found in bringing happiness to other people, and I hadn't yet learned that in high school- at least not until Big Sister made her big debut.

2. If a genie appeared and granted you two wishes, what would they be? (And, no saying "more wishes".)

Right now, at this moment?

1- to find the magic answer to disciplining Little Mister... or the consistency/patience/backbone... whatever it is that I'm missing!

2- For our house to be finished- inside/basement/outside/yard and all... and maybe a blacktop driveway to finish it off!

3. What kids show do you secretly like?

Shows... there aren't really any I actually like, but I love Meet the Robinsons. It's the best kids' movie!

4. What is your beverage of choice?

McDonald's Diet Dr. Pepper or Sonic's Strawberry Watermelon Diet Coke (a pregnancy craving that stuck!)

5. What is something that you would change about yourself (or are working to change in yourself)?

I'd be one of those parents who is disciplined enough to keep a consistent schedule... and I'd be more adventurous in the bedroom.

500 Miles of Happiness

2010-04-28T19:10:00.000-07:00

Life is feeling pretty good right now.

Preparations for this morning's play date meant that my house was sparkling this morning, and the cancellation of said date meant that it stayed clean all day!

Since I was caught up on housework for once and had no plans, I spent a large part of the day just playing with the kids. We played old school Nintendo (Mario Brothers I), played with My Little Ponies and pirates, and took a trip to the local trout park to feed fish and play on the playground. I even took the opportunity to climb and swing on the jungle gym with them. The camera was neglected so we could just live the afternoon instead of trying to capture it.

Tomorrow I will pack up the kids and head to St. Louis to spend Big Sister's 2 days off school. I'm not sure what we'll busy ourselves with, but it'll be two days away from home and life!

This weekend, I'll be making two cakes: A very simple dinosaur cake and a Somewhere Over the Rainbow cake. I'm SO excited about the second one! If all goes as planned (never a guarantee in the cake world), I'll be posting pictures of the edible ruby slippers next week.

I'm not sure why I'm not bothered by the leak that continues in our replacement engine in spite of the trip to the shop on Monday... or the ever growing grass that begs for our lawn mower to return from the shop... or the five pounds that I let myself acquire over the last month (two are have already disappeared)...

I suppose life just isn't meant to be wasted being upset for too long. When life delivers a real disaster to endure, it's so much easier to shrug off leaks and money shortages and burnt dinners. You finally get that happiness is a choice, not bred by pleasant circumstances. Or you don't... and you're stuck seething, filled with self pity. I've been talking with Big Sister about this very topic a lot lately. She's at the height of that phase where finding the wrong vegetables on her plate makes her world fall apart. I think I hear, "This is the worst day of my life!" at least three times a week. I feel sorry for the kid, stuck in all that pouting. I am ever repeating to her that happiness is her choice... but at nine, I think she's a few years (or decades) away from wanting to hear me.

I just hope that I'm living as an example. I sure feel happy in my life, but sometimes I wonder if I'm acting happy enough. I'm trying to make a point of smiling more, being silly more, just visibly enjoying life more often. The other night, in response to some backseat bickering, Hubby and I spent the ride home from Mass belting I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles) by The Proclaimers a cappella. The kids thought we were insane as this is not a typical scene in our minivan, but it was great to be acting goofy with each other in front of them.

Princess Cake

2010-04-28T14:57:00.000-07:00

The Simple Woman's Daybook: April 27th

2010-04-27T14:33:00.000-07:00

For Today... April 27, 2010

Outside my window... There's so much GREEN outside! We've been waiting for three weeks the 80's riding mower my parents gave us to be serviced. Any day now would be great... our lawn is begging to be mowed again!

From the kitchen... A huge batch of stuffed peppers. I made fifteen today and have enough stuffing left for 15 more. They freeze like a dream and make the perfect lunch for Hubby! I made a version of this recipe last night- not too bad!

I am wearing... jeans and a pink, long sleeved tee. And bare feet.

From the Learning Rooms... We're going back to relearn how to write lowercase a's this week. Little Mister has gotten quite lazy about them lately! I'm also hoping to make some more progress on spelling and word families.

I am creating... patches for Big Sister's jeans. She has three pair that she's worn through, and she asked for some crazy patchwork to cover the holes in her knees.

I am praying... for the next few days to be exciting and motivating for my husband... and for sanity through the weekend. It's just me and the kids while Daddy's away at his military drill!

Around the house... Laundry is caught up, but the family room is atrocious! There are blankets, toys, games, and pillows strewn all over. The room has turned into a group effort!

One of my favorite things... Yard Sale-ing! Ashley and I packed the kids into the van and headed out Friday and Saturday mornings last weekend! I forgot how much I liked digging through other people's discarded belongings!

A few plans for the rest of the week... two cakes and the last night of teaching religion classes. Big Sister is off school Thursday and Friday, so we're hoping to make a trip to the Magic House later this week!

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...

A blast from the past for you. I found this picture of Hubby and I in a pile of my baby sisters prints. It's from the weekend I accepted his proposal.

Join the daybook group or see other daybooks here!

Slip of the Tongue

2010-04-27T11:56:00.000-07:00

Little Mister is a pretty smart cookie, but he's like all kids- sometimes he gets his words a little mixed up. He used to say bana instead of banana... you know, like all little ones. I know that I'll cary one such slip of the tongue as a cherished memory, and I'll be a little sad when he finally gets it right. See, Little Mister can't quite grasp the concept of the 'w' in wife. Instead, he says life. The replacement of one tiny letter makes me smile and reflect on marriage every time the word comes into his 4-year-old conversations.

After Aunt Amanda accepted her boyfriend's marriage proposal, Little Mister said with great excitement, "Mamma, now Dan will finally have a life!"

Hilarious, yes, but other times, like today, he talks about his daddy. He says something like, "Mamma, I'm so glad that you married Daddy and became Daddy's life." Yes, son. Me too. I'm eternally grateful to have a husband who really does make me his LIFE.

And sometimes he's just cute. Sometimes he'll talk about growing up and getting married. And when he does, I always point out that God might want him to be a priest or single when he grows up. And inevitably, he says, "But Mom, I want to have a life!" And then we get to talk about the incredible life of a priest and the unique abilities possessed by those called to the single life.

Whenever we talk about wives, no matter how hard I'm laughing, I'm compelled to say a quick, silent prayer that he lives as if the two words truly have the same meaning. I pray that, should he be called to marriage, he makes his wife his life... a life centered around and enveloped by God's love.

The Simple Woman's Daybook: April 12th

2010-04-12T08:05:00.000-07:00

For Today... April 12, 2010

Outside my window... Blue skies, and the buds of leaves. The tree limbs are so thick, that I imagine by next week, the sky view from this window will be all but blocked by leaves!

From the kitchen... we had a yummy italian concoction I threw together last night. chunks of Red onions, zucchini, red pepper, chicken and garlic sautéed in olive oil and Italian seasoning and tossed with spaghetti noodles... delicious!

I am wearing... green pj pants and a t shirt. My allergies are killing my motivation this morning!

From the Learning Rooms... basic reading, math, and writing this week!

I am creating... vacation plans! We announced the plans to the kids last night. They're all excited about heading to the Rockies!

I am praying... for a fruitful week and inspiration to add love and comfort to our home. I could really use some productivity and motivation!

Around the house... Laundry is hanging on the line with the bumblebees nosing around! I'm starting to get good at ignoring them. A kitchen floor begs to be mopped, and I really need to figure out what's keeping my vacuum cleaner from it's suction potential!

A few plans for the rest of the week... a huge photo session this afternoon, a soccer game for big sister tonight, maybe a play date later this week!

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...

Little Miss and her cousin (my cousin's daughter) yesterday

Join the daybook group or see other daybooks here!

Colorado

2010-04-10T21:26:00.000-07:00

When Big Sister was nine months old, we tagged along with my parents and sisters to visit my big brother in Colorado. We toured the US Mint, visited Boulder, and poked our way around Denver for a few days.

When Big Sister was 5 and Little Mister was just a few months old, my mother and I loaded them up and took off across the state of Kansas to visit my brother again. This time our trip was crammed to the max with a train ride on the Georgetown Loop, a stop at Red Rocks, hiking and camping in the stunning Colorado Flattops (three hours drive into the stix followed by a hike into the middle of the Rockies' wilderness... no campsite for these explorers!), a visit to Dinosaur National Monument across the border in Utah, the butterfly house and train yard. It was a busy trip, but SO much fun!

And now... we're going back! It's official. In June, Hubby and I will pack the kids into the minivan and head off for the Centennial State. It will be the first visit for Little Miss and my husband. What's more, it will be our first vacation with our family alone.

We'll spend a few days exploring Rocky Mountain National Park, stop by Boulder (which offers one of my two favorite downtown shopping areas in the country), and head to Denver for the remainder of our trip to revisit Red Rocks, The Mint, and gear ourselves up for whatever may be up my big brother's sleeve!

We're not headed to the coast, so I'm still a tiny bit jealous of all you who will be laying on a beach with a book and the scents and sounds of the ocean... makes me more relaxed just thinking about it!

But there is something indescribably majestic about the Colorado Rockies. Just being there makes me feel small, but not in a feeble sort of way. There, I am keenly aware of God's care... so very humbled to be living my life... and simply safe in His arms. I am so sincerely thankful that I get to share this glimpse at God's exquisite creation with my family.

Wisdom

2010-04-08T05:00:00.000-07:00

A child emptying an entire bag of cat food onto the floor sounds just like the sound of a child digging a hand into a box of cereal.

My advice: Do not assume your child is getting a snack.

What I've Learned in My Two Weeks of Line Drying Clothes

2010-04-07T15:13:00.000-07:00

When making the decision to line dry laundry, one should consider the following:

1. That fitted tank top that always shrunk down to the perfect fit in the dryer can be donated as its days of cute fittedness have passed.

2. There is a circumstance in this world where jeans do, in fact, need to be ironed.

3. Purchase an iron and ironing board as the clothes line does not come with a wrinkle free setting.

4. Towels will certainly resemble a combination of cardboard and sandpaper and will now make the perfect exfoliator.

5. Items that could in any way resemble the color of a flower will certainly be investigated by a bumble bee or two. Blue, pink, red, yellow, orange, purple, and white items resemble flowers. Consider purchasing a black wardrobe, or steak out your getaway path before hanging items of these colors.

6. Collecting clothing from the line after dark may be hazardous. Tread carefully.

7. That sun-dried scent may not be all it's talked up to be. Although it may not smell awful, prepare yourself for confusion and disappointment after taking a whiff of freshly dried clothing.

8. Smile, cross your fingers, and pray that a lower electric bill comes to make all the insanity worthwhile!

The Simple Woman's Daybook: April 5th

2010-04-06T11:00:00.000-07:00

For Today... April 6, 2010

Outside my window... What a gloriously beautiful Easter Sunday we had here! A few wispy clouds, bright, warm sunshine, and a breeze made for a fantastic day with family!

From the kitchen... Leftover corn chowder for lunch today, and for dinner, $1.99 Family Night Happy Meals from McDonalds!

I am wearing... blue yoga pants, white tank, bare feet.

From the Learning Rooms... I've promised Little Mister that we'll learn about tornados this week in preschool. I believe that the old soda bottle tornado project is in order!

I am creating... too many things at once! I'm behind on edits for 2 photography sessions, have one to photograph Wednesday (a first birthday session!), and have a cake in the works for this weekend!

I am praying... humble thanks for keeping my husband and youngest child safe Sunday when they were T-boned by a sixteen-year-old driver. I cannot imagine what I would've done had I been driving to an accident that had left my baby or my husband permanently injured or dead... Seeing our van crunched in the ditch and knowing that the emergency lights were for my daughter was bad enough, and I already knew that she and Hubby were safe and healthy.

I'm pondering these words... Women’s sexuality requires “priming,” while guys are just about always “ready to roll.” A lot of that priming has to happen in her head: thinking affectionately about sensual things, bathing, primping and flirting - the kinds of things wives tend to leave at the altar or in the birthing room. ~Dr. Laura

Around the house... Lots of light fixtures are sitting on boxes awaiting installation, and I'm hoping that the rain doesn't prevent us from mowing the grass Thursday evening!

One of my favorite things... Watching my children get along. It's a sad fact that this doesn't happen often enough, but when the three of them are truly playing happily together, it's the best sound in the world!

A few plans for the rest of the week... a soccer game for big sister tonight, an endless string of phone calls to insurance companies, finalizing taxes! Last year we mailed them on April 15th, so we're improving slightly this year by mailing them in by the 7th!

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...

One of myself for a change! My cousin snapped a couple of Hubby and I at our family shindig over the weekend! And look- no double chin, tummy or anything!

Join the daybook group or see other daybooks here!

Happy Easter

2010-04-03T23:00:00.000-07:00

The Simple Woman's Daybook: March 29th

2010-03-29T06:24:00.000-07:00

For Today... March 29, 2010

Outside my window... Blue, sunny skies! The forecast promises a simply beautiful spring break and Holy Week.

From the kitchen... My poor kitchen has been in a state of disarray. The dishes may be done and the floor clean, but I've become embarrassingly disorganized when it comes to my shopping and meal planning. I really should get it together!

I am wearing... grey yoga pants, black tank, bare feet.

From the Learning Rooms... Uncle L is home this week! That means Little Mister will be learning more about model rocketry and finally launching his new rocket! We'll mix the usual reading and math lessons in along the way, but no formal lessons this week!

I am creating... a clothes line. Hubby and I installed the line using a few trees outside the laundry room. In the midst of clearing leaves and drilling holes into the tree trunks, we discovered my grandma's clothes line laying discarded from years ago around the same trees. Apparently we picked a good spot!

I am praying... my way through Holy Week. For a deeper understanding of the most holy sacrifice, for the strength to make my own tiny sacrifices...

Around the house... We had our house sprayed for wasps last week. It's been too cold and rainy too tell if they're gone. I'm hoping that, as the weather warms this week, we're able to enjoy being outside our house without the company of dozens of stinging critters!

One of my favorite things... dreaming of vacations- even if we decide not to go or know that we'll never. I just love researching all the exotic and magical places in the world.

A few plans for the rest of the week... a soccer game for big sister tonight, an egg hunt later this week, and hopefully a chance to visit with friends that have been swamped with their own lives lately!

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...

Easter 2008 (Little Miss' 1st)

Join the daybook group or see other daybooks here!

55555: Just Because

2010-03-27T20:11:00.000-07:00

Jessica over at 3 Girls & Our Guy posted this questionnaire, and it sounded like fun. Here Goes!

Question 1: Where were you 5 years ago?
* My daughter and I were just moving out of my parents' house into a not-quite finished home of our own. It was just the two of us for a few brief weeks.
* I was 2 months from getting married.
* I was about to wrap up my first year of teaching high school English
* I was in the midst of a custody litigation
* I was celebrating my fiancé's baptism and confirmation at Easter Vigil mass.

Question 2: What is/was on your to do list today?
* Wake up and shower

* Clean up the house

* 3 back-to-back portrait appointments

* A First Birthday party

* Catching up with my big brother who is home for Easter

Question 3: What 5 snacks do you enjoy?
* Yoplait Pineapple Upside-Down Cake yogurt

* Chocolate chip cookies fresh from the oven

* McDonald's Diet Dr. Pepper

* Monterey Cheddar cheese and crackers

* Carrots- the real ones- not baby carrots

Question 4: Name 5 places you have lived.
* With my parents
*In a little 2 bedroom rental house
* With my parents again
* In a cabin in the woods
* In the house where my grandparents grew old together

Question 5: What 5 things would you do if you were a billionaire?
* Pay off our student loans, car, and house
* Invest for retirement
* Take a fantastic 6 week tour of Europe
* Start an organization for pre-teen and teenage girls educating them on the value of abstinence and aiding with teenage sexual abuse, pregnancy, and motherhood.
* Spend a ton of time with my husband who would no longer work 2 hours from home!

Modern Day Preschools

2010-03-23T12:06:00.001-07:00

Ok, I'm just going to rant a bit... call it frustrations from a SAHM.

I'm in the middle of the search for a preschool for Little Mister. We opted to home school this year, always with the intention of sending him to the Catholic school that Big Sister attended for six years. We truly love it there and couldn't have asked for a better foundation for her education and supplement to our religious upbringing.

Yesterday, preschool enrollment was opened to the public. I got up early, showered, did my make up, and dolled up the kids. We dropped big sister off at school, stopped by the pediatrician for shot records, and headed confidently to enroll Little Mister in the preschool program for three mornings a week. The tuition would be steep- $120/month in fact. But I felt it was worth it as we'd be introducing Little Mister to the school where he'd spend the next several years of his education. Perhaps more important, he'd be learning in an environment that shared our faith.

When I sit down to fill out the registration forms, I find no three morning option available. Huh. Only a 5 morning option for a whopping $180/month. I'm a bit thrown off and opt to write a check for a non refundable $180 to hold his spot. We visit with two of our favorite teachers, Little Mister visits the first grade classroom for a bit, and we were on our way.

Then I started to think... ponder... fester... fume. After I talked to my husband, I called to let the school know that we would not be attending preschool as they no longer offered an option that was in line with our educational needs for our kid.

Then I fumed a little more. Because here's the thing.

It is next to impossible to find a traditional preschool, at least around here. The vast majority cater to families with two employed parents and are day care/preschool combos. Not such a huge deal, right? Nope. It's a HUGE deal in this mom's opinion. You see, the entire concept behind our beloved Catholic school has been that the parents volunteer their time in order to save employment costs and keep tuition reasonable. The thing is, when the majority of the families enrolled have two employed parents, it leaves little time for volunteering. The result is increased salary costs to fill positions that would normally be filled by parent volunteers. And how does the school compensate? They have no choice but to raise tuition. If those families were choosing jobs to gain stability, I certainly wouldn't mind having to contribute more financially, but when the majority are driving luxury vehicles and living in homes that are worth four times as much as ours, I sort of want to scream. Because families like mine are helping to pay for their material goods by volunteering countless hours around the school, paying inflated tuition prices, all the while driving a car with nearly 300,000 miles. (Maybe that's just my family)

None of this bothered me when there was an option for families like mine, but now our option has been removed, and today, in this moment, I feel like we've been pushed out of our school by a huge number of two-income families. And it makes me mad, and sad. But more importantly, it makes me feel very humbled and thankful to have had the ability and priority to raise our own children full time.

Mamma M's 5 Question Friday: March 19th

2010-03-19T10:11:00.000-07:00

1. Have you ever had a celeb sighting?

Nope, although my husband accidentally had lunch with Brittany Murphy when she was in the Middle East with the USO. Even got a kiss on the cheek (so he says) from her. Knowing me, I've bumped into a handful of celebs and been totally oblivious to their identities!

2. What temperature do you keep your house?

65-67 in the winter We used to keep it 72-74, but this big house is torture on the electric bills! I'm sure it'll be 76-78 in the summer, and I've vowed to turn it off completely during May and maybe June. We'll see if we survive that though!

3. Do you notice dust at other peoples homes?

Nope- unless the kids have written messages in it. I notice the toilets- good or bad- because I'm a stickler about having my toilet clean for company. Seriously, if you pop in without warning, expect me to fake a trip to the little girls room so I can clean it... even if I just cleaned it the day before!

4. What's the worst job you ever had?

Hm... that's a tough one. Partly because I haven't had many jobs. I cleaned my parents' rental cabins off and on for years, I substituted, and I taught high school English. I suppose by comparison, the cleaning job was the worst, but it was good stinkin' money. Sometimes I think about "applying" again.

5. What is your most sentimental possession?

It's a toss-up between my wedding album and family videos from my childhood.

Top of the Morning to You

2010-03-17T08:09:00.000-07:00

Happy Saint Patrick's Day! St. Patrick's Day has always held a place close to my heart, perhaps because there's more Irish blood in me than anything else! I can remember my dad greeting me with a "Top of the morning!" on St. Patrick's Days as a kid, and I always looked forward to wearing my green (even though I forgot that morning and received my pinch on occasion)! As a Mom, I've dressed my kids in St. Pat's attire on each and every March 17th.

But for me, St. Patrick's Day doesn't center around leprechauns, rainbows, and pots of gold. St. Patrick Day is a day to remember a great man.

Born in 385 A.D., St. Patrick was Scottish-born and was captured and taken as a slave to Ireland at 14 years old. He relied on God to see him through his time in slavery. Six years later, St. Patrick was told in a dream to leave Ireland, and so he escaped and traveled by boat back to his family. Later, he dreamed the people of Ireland were calling to him to join them, and after he was ordained a priest and bishop, St. Patrick was sent to spread the gospel to the Irish. He used the shamrock as a tool to teach the blessed trinity. For forty years, the saint spread the news of the Gospel in Ireland, starting churches and spreading Catholicism throughout the country.

God worked through St. Patrick to bring the gospel to my ancestors. I am truly blessed to be an Irish Girl!

May your blessings outnumber the shamrocks that grow,

and may trouble avoid you wherever you go!

The Simple Woman's Daybook: March 8th

2010-03-08T05:30:00.000-08:00

For Today... March 8, 2010

Outside my window... Birds, bulbs, and the first crocuses... the warm sunny weekend proved productive here in the valley!

From the kitchen... I completely slacked off tonight and made pancakes for dinner. What can I say? Hubby was gone, Little Miss was running a fever! Lots of veggies and baked chicken tomorrow to compensate!

I am wearing... Boot cut jeans, a black, long sleeve shirt, and my glasses (that I'm having to wear more often now).

From the Learning Rooms... Finally getting to our rocket this week! We'll use the lesson to work on the letter R and counting backward from ten. Little Mister is very excited to put his rocket kit together, and I think that Uncle L may even be home for Easter. That means we'll get to launch it!

I am creating... a yard. I've made it my mission to transform our construction site into a real, neat landscape this month (and next). Our house will still look under construction until our siding is up and painted, but the yard... THAT is something I have control over!

I am praying... for patience as we revamp our parenting tactics around here! I tried Super Nanny's stern talk and somehow I've turned into a drill sergeant... and unfortunately my soldiers are following my lead. It's back to loving talk and living as examples of how we want them to handle sibling conflict. But my goodness, it doesn't take long for yelling to become habit!

Around the house... the main level is fairly tidy, but the upstairs is a sight! Little Mister and I are going to tackle his room together, and Big Sister is on the verge of loosing my laundry services until she does something about the clothes piled everywhere! Sheesh!

One of my favorite things: the contentment that comes from knowing that God always has my backup plan planned... and that it wasn't His backup plan- it was His plan. It's amazing how something that is stressful, terrifying, or heart-wrenching, can lead you somewhere that you feel sure you were meant to be.

A few plans for the rest of the week... the calendar's wide open! Just the normal kids' activities and teaching PSR.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...

Little Miss enjoying the SEVETY degree day!

Join the daybook group or see other daybooks here!

My Girls

2010-03-05T16:20:00.000-08:00

My Mamma was telling me today about a new friend of hers who invited her to go shopping. And I thought, "I wonder if I'll ever be invited to do things with new girls in my life..."

And then I remembered that right now, the main girls in my life are 2 and 9.

And I remembered that at my age, my mom was doing what I'm doing now- throwing herself into parenting. And as much as we all need friends, my priceless few are more than enough sustenance for me in these parenting years... But it's nice to see my mom with an active social life. It makes me more content to focus on my family rather than my social life. Because there really will be time for that later.

Non-Pregnant Silliness

2010-03-02T18:31:00.000-08:00

I offered to lend my maternity clothes to my cousin tonight. I opened the Rubbermaid to check out the goods before handing them off. Oh, knife to my heart! I know I'm just loaning them and that I'll get them back, but I had a moment of hesitation all the same. I'm thinking of keeping my favorite shirt anyway-- a fitted black and white striped tank top with "baby" written in sliver across the chest. I LOVED to pair that with my black pregnancy yoga pants...

The down side of not being pregnant again: Never wearing my tub full of cute maternity clothes again.

The up side of not being pregnant again: That much closer to having mornings free for the gym... which equals new cute clothes!

The Simple Woman's Daybook: March 1st

2010-02-28T18:30:00.000-08:00

For Today... March 1, 2010

Outside my window... it's noticeably lighter earlier! Just another sign that spring will, at some point, be here!

From the kitchen... This afternoon I'll hit the grocery store. I'm never sure how we ran so low on so many things so quickly! In any event, the cart will be piled high, the kids will be squirmy, and I'll be frazzled! Good times!

I am wearing... Green PJ pants, a brown camisole, and a black cardigan.

From the Learning Rooms... Little Mister's been busy lately. We went on a field trip to the Magic House in St. Louis last week, and he's been science, science, science! He's SO curious and attentive, so I'm following his lead for the time being.

I am creating... a new apron. I picked out material a couple weeks ago. Blues and browns with flowers and hummingbirds. My grandmother loved to hang hummingbird feeders on their patio and watch the hummingbirds all summer. Every time I see one, I think of her. Living in this house, I like to do small things to keep her and my grandpa close.

I am praying... giving thanks for the gift of God's son. At this time if year, I am in awe of the Holy Sacrifice that was to save me in all my smallness and imperfection.

Around the house... I'm tackling that master bedroom. I'd hoped to get to it last week, and now it's worse than ever! I started last night by resorting the DVD's and boxing them away out of reach of little hands. Hopefully I'll have reclaimed our turf by nightfall!

One of my favorite things: forgiveness... from loved ones, from strangers, from myself, and most importantly from God.

A few plans for the rest of the week... A play date, photo session for a friend (I can't believe her little guy is almost 1!), and general happy chaos that is life with three kids!

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...

Happy March 1st from Little Mister in all his goofiness!

Join the daybook group or see other daybooks here!

Dora the Explorer Cake

2010-02-27T19:26:00.000-08:00

Dora birthday cake. This cake was one that I really tried to work on my buttercream icing consistency for flat icing my cakes. When I started decorating cakes a couple years ago, this design would have intimidated the heck out of me. Yesterday, I was able to successfully estimate the amount of time I'd need to bake and decorate this cake to feed 50. I started baking at 7:15 and put the finishing touches on the cake at 1:15. Just enough time to shower and load the crew to make the delivery!

The stars were super easy- made with fondant and a cookie cutter. A bit of pearl dust brushed onto each shape created a slight twinkle. I used a round tip to trim the cake, adding a stripe of orange food coloring to my bag to create the line on my pink beads. I've used that technique to make flowers with contrasting tipped petals with great success.

I LOVED that I was able to score this dora set from the Wal-Mart clearance isle! I had a single dora figure in hand when I ran across this set for the same price- $7. It sure beat setting Dora up there all by her lonesome!

My little stars were attached to craft wires that I'd spiraled around a smooth pencil. I really enjoy the effect that such a simple, cheap addition makes to a kid's cake. More pearl dust blown onto the entire cake, and I was ready to hit the road... the mile long string of rocks, bumps, and potholes!

A Bit of Dr. L Wisdom

2010-02-24T19:17:00.001-08:00

From Dr. Laura's show today:

"If you know it's an alligator, you don't get into the tub with it! If you do and get bit, you blame yourself, not the alligator."

Let's face it. We all have alligators in our lives, and sometimes we let ourselves pretend they're... salamanders. And then we're surprised when they snap at us. But really, we knew better, didn't we?

Still Fumbling Blindly and Prayerfully through Tween Parenting

2010-02-22T13:52:00.000-08:00

Big Sister came home with a small, black, velvet box today. From a boy I've never heard about (and I hear about the boys, let me tell ya). Inside was a set of earrings and a matching brooch. It looked like it could've come from one of the Wal-Mart displays. The cubic zirconia ones, not the under-lock-and-key kind.

My first reaction is to share in her excitement. I listened to her tell the story of how this boy presented her with the box on the playground at recess. I listened to her tell me that her teachers all said it was pretty. I acknowledged how exciting is must've been to receive a gift like this. And then I ask her if she thinks she should accept it. And that's when I turn from fun mom to rain-on-my-parade mom.

In my mind, I'm thinking, "what if the kid took this from his mother's jewelry box..."

"How could these teachers act like this is amazing? Oh yeah, they aren't here to teach my faith. That was our last school. Bummer..."

"How hard is it going to be on this kid to have his gift returned..."

"How difficult will it be for Big Sister to return it..."

"What kind of parent lets a 9-year-old give real jewelry? They can't know about this..."

"What happened to wanting to Big Sister wanting to watch her friends make dumb decisions about boys..."

"Oh, CRAP!"

And so we talk about how jewelry is a bit too grown up for 4th grade. And how if we're in a hurry to experience the excitement of stuff meant for us when we're older, then when we're older, we might find other things to be excited by that aren't so good. And she tells me that she just wants to go with the flow. And I tell her that we can rarely do that and still follow what God wants us to do. And she seems to get that. But she still doesn't like the thought of giving the jewelry back.

You see, I'm the mom who wouldn't allow my daughter to attend the 4th and 5th grade dance, where the boys were asking the girls to be their dates. Because, seriously, they can't just throw a party- why do they have to make it cool to act old?

Am I being too harsh? Setting myself up for a daughter who doesn't confide in me? Perhaps. But I'm not about to be one of those moms who acts like her daughter can do no wrong. One of those moms who acts like her daughter knows more at ten than herself at 30-something (or 20-something in my case). I'm going to be the kind of mom who is clear about her beliefs and opinions. I'm going to parent so that Big Sister can look back when she's in her teens and 20's and know what her Mamma would say. I'm going to be consistent to my beliefs, because there is, in my opinion, no place more important (and sometimes painful) to stand up for what I believe than in parenting.

The Simple Woman's Daybook: February 22nd

2010-02-21T16:37:00.000-08:00

For Today... February 22, 2010

Outside my window... grey skies again. We flirted with spring on Saturday. For a few hours we all remembered what it was like to have sunshine that wasn't glaring off the snow!

From the kitchen... I've been slacking lately when it comes to dinner planning. I did make Chili over the weekend and need to use up a couple pounds of ground beef today.

I am wearing... Brown yoga pants and a dark green sweatshirt.

From the Learning Rooms... Bones! Little Mister has been really interested in the human body, so we're rolling with it. I went to our Catholic school to inquire about sending him next year. The class was nearly full, so we're praying to be shown God's will in this decision.

I am creating... a stack of coupons to take with me when I hit the outlet mall later this week. February is the best time to snag great clearance items for the kids!

I am praying... for a symptom free week for my family! Big Sister's strep throat isn't contagious now, but it will take another few days until we can be sure the rest of us are in the clear.

Around the house... I really want to get the master bedroom under control this week. Little Mister watches movies there while Little Miss takes her nap, so the room turns into a bit of a toy room. NOT the least bit relaxing!

One of my favorite things: productive weekends that still leave time for relaxing with the family!

A few plans for the rest of the week... editing a photo session, hopefully going on a field trip later this week!

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...

A favorite from a recent session... I LOVE this kid and her big sister!

Join the daybook group or see other daybooks here!

Reassurance

2010-02-20T17:30:00.000-08:00

Big Sister has strep throat. It couldn't have come at a worse time for her. She missed a sleepover last night. Last time she was invited to a sleepover, we had to cancel at the last minute for a death in the family.

As we were driving home from the Doc's Friday, Big Sister and I talked about how everything happens according to God's plan. And my sweet 9-year-old said, "Maybe God knows that I'm not ready to have sleepovers away from our house yet." There were no tears, only brave disappointment. Maybe it was because she was feeling too lousy to care, but I like to think that it's evidence of her maturing faith. She really is a unique kid. Her personality is almost had to categorize. Endlessly energetic, challenging, passionate, dedicated, high strung, defender of fairness, and a bit stubborn. I cannot wait to see where God leads her and what she offers to the places she is called to be. The best part is that my dear daughter seems just as excited to watch God's plan for her unfold.

Tonight she was feeling much better, so we took a couple hours and treated ourselves to a bit of mother-daughter time. Big Sister whitened her teeth for the first time, we did facial masks, polished our fingernails and toenails, browsed through the Warrior Cats website and took the quiz to find out what clan we'd belong to (if you know what I'm talking about, I feel for you!), and read a bit of The Mother-Daughter Book Club, by Heather Vogel Frederick. We talked about starting our own Mother-Daughter Book Club, tossing around the idea of finding one online or starting one locally. She's full of dreams and ideas, that one.

I try to be diligent about seeking out time for Big Sister, time uninterrupted by preschoolers and toddlers, time free from anything but just the two of us. It was just the two of us for so long, and it is vitally important to me that my firstborn knows that we still have that special link between us.

Baby Girl Shower Cake

2010-02-17T15:32:00.000-08:00

Another cake under my belt, another lesson learned! Only 2 hours, start to finish... not bad! Sometimes I look back and try to figure out how it was exactly that I started decorating cakes. I certainly have no formal training past a few childhood 4-H courses. I wouldn't consider myself a pro by any means. There is much left to learn. A few years ago, I made a cake for my cousins second wedding reception. The wedding took place five hours from our hometown, and so my aunt and uncle decided to throw a reception back home for those guests who couldn't make the drive. I'd made the cake for the wedding shower and had decided to experiment with icing flowers. Apparently, they turned out alright because before I knew it I was making a stacked cake to feed 100. Yikes!

A few years later, and here I am... still standing over the kitchen counter every so often, icing bag in hand, fretting over a bit of artwork that won't exist a few hours later. And I like it that way!

Today's cake was for a baby shower at school. One of the teachers came for a photo session last Sunday and asked if I would have time to make a small cake for the occasion. Normally, I have enough warning to make the two hour trip to Hobby Lobby or one of my favorite decorator supply stores, but this time I had to work with what I had in the cabinets.

One thing that I too often forget to do is thin my buttercream for a smooth finish. It's so much nicer when the icing smoothes on like softened butter. The basic icing is always my biggest worry; perhaps I'll break down and attempt to cover the next one with marshmallow fondant.

I wasn't crazy about my stripes on the bottom layer. That was an experiment for a potential wedding cake, an experiment that I'm going to have to go at from another direction! I so wished I'd had a fondant mat and cutter, but those will be tools that I'll have to buy before the next go 'round!

The Simple Woman's Daybook: February 15th

2010-02-15T17:12:00.000-08:00

For Today... February 15, 2010

Outside my window... there's an overcast sky. A few flurries wind lazily, resting on the leaf covered ground. It's not often that I complete a daybook at 4 in the afternoon, but this morning was hectic!

From the kitchen... Fresh chocolate chip cookies are in the oven. Just a half batch. I love the smell of cookies baking even more than I enjoy the taste of them!

I am wearing... Jeans and a heather-green sweater.

From the Learning Rooms... Daddy played substitute last week while I went bridesmaid dress shopping with my little sister. They successfully assembled the stegosaurus robot that Little Mister got as a birthday gift, and they learned all about gears and motors... much more than I would have been able to teach him in that area!

I am creating... a baby shower cake this week. I'm treating it like a real learning experience. Why? Because I may very likely be making my little sister's wedding cake in October. Scary! I am by no means that confident in my abilities... so here's hoping that I have lots of opportunities to practice!

I am praying... for some dear friends of mine whose kids are sick. I think we'll all be thrilled to have a healthy bunch again soon! We Mommies love our play dates!

Around the house... Laundry. Laundry. LAUNDRY.

One of my favorite things... Sometimes my husband takes a day off, just to take it off. I love it because it gives some family time that is just a bit different from our weekends.

A few plans for the rest of the week... recouping from the 4 day weekend that Hubby took... which should take until next weekend!

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...

Our wedding cake- made for us by my aunt.

Join the daybook group or see other daybooks here!

2010-02-14T08:30:00.000-08:00

Happy St. Valentine's Day!

I may have mentioned that, when it comes to Valentine's Day, my husband and I are not huge fans. In fact, this morning, I told Little Mister that I had a V Day surprise for him, and hubby said to me, "Oh, Happy Valentine's Day. That's today, right?" We had a little chuckle.

We're not a couple who celebrates Cupid with each other, but we pull out our bag of tricks for our kids!

This morning, Little Mister got to wear his suit to church (the one I scored for $2 three years ago and have been not-so patiently waiting for him to grow into). He said he was a real, live Valentine!

And when I was stuck home with Big Sister who hadn't been feeling well and slept through mass, I made pink heart shaped pancakes for her breakfast.

We gave each of the kids a little something from us for Valentine's Day. This year, it was a new Warriors book for Big Sister and sticker books for Little Mister and Little Miss.

So, I'm not a complete Valentine's Scrooge... we just don't find this weekend one worth battling the crowds over!

Hope your Valentine's Day was extra sweet and filled with the ones you love!

Mamma M's Five Question Friday

2010-02-12T09:05:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Mamma M for her 5 Question Fridays!

Questions for Friday, 2/12/10:

1. What is the one thing your love does for you that you can't live without?

Hugs me in the kitchen while I'm making dinner. It drives me crazy sometimes, but I think I'd miss that more than anything if I lost him.

2. When did you know your love was "the one"?

This was a slow evolution for me. There wasn't a single moment when I knew this Computer Nerd was the one I was destined to be with. There were lots of things that I loved about him, and a few deal breaker issues that I didn't push. I didn't want to change him; I was done with that! I just prayed that he would grow into a man who would be the head of our home if he was the one I was called to marry. And... as we got to know each other better, I started to find that the deal breakers were melting away, and I suppose that when he told me he was going to be baptized (with no probing from me), that was when I knew that he was the man God meant to be my husband.

3. Does your love have a special ringtone on your cell?

Yes! It used to be the one of the songs from our wedding "I Will Be Here" by Steven Curtis Chapman. With my new phone, he rings "When I See You Smile."

4. What are you attracted to most in your special someone?

Now? The fervor with which he attacks his career and the seriousness that he takes with his role as provider, husband, and father. He sacrifices so much for our family, and it really does make him appear strong and safe.

5. Did you know when/where he/she was going to pop the big question?

Not the first time he asked. It wasn't the right time or place then. But the second time he asked, I knew it was coming. The boy can't hide a surprise for anything!

Valentine's Dud

2010-02-10T11:40:00.000-08:00

We're not big on Valentine's Day around here. I think the last time we really celebrated the day was the first Valentine's Day we were dating-- seven years ago. I made him a tray of brownies and gooey butter cake cut into hearts. He gave me a beautiful journal and chocolates. We went to eat at our now favorite Japanese restaurant. That was our "play it safe" year, the year we celebrated just in case the other was a V-Day sucker.

Ever since then, we exchange a "Happy Valentine's Day" in the morning and leave well enough alone. It's not that we're not romantic. It just happened that neither of us really cared about the holiday and instead preferred to celebrate days that were more personal to us.

Like Friday the Thirteenth.

Now there's a day that we never miss!

We met on September 13, 2002: A Friday.

He told me he loved me for the first time on December 13, 2002: A Friday.

We wanted so badly to get married on May 13, 2005 (a Friday), but I was teaching, and the school year was still in session then.

You won't see my husband fighting the V-Day crowds to secure a table for dinner or tickets to a romantic movie. He prefers Friday 13th over Valentine's, but that's just another thing that I love about him!

Fitness Finds

2010-02-09T08:31:00.000-08:00

I'm not one for posting my weight loss journey, but I wanted to share a couple discoveries that I've made with those of you on a quest for a healthier lifestyle, smaller waistline, or to get back to your pre- pregnancy weight (which may have been 4 years ago... ahem).

Just after Halloween, I was asked to be a bridesmaid in my cousin's wedding. I'd already been unofficially asked to stand up beside my baby sister come October, but somehow that upcoming wedding didn't kick me into healthy gear. My cousin's wedding did. Maybe it was knowing that we'd be bridesmaid dress shopping soon because her wedding was 6 months away, maybe it was because we're the same age and went to school together which means her wedding will be a high school reunion of sorts. Whatever the real reason, I immediately (we're talking as I was congratulating her) gave up my comfort foods. The plan of attack back then: low carb, not to be confused with NO carb.

For 2 weeks, I consumed only 20 carbs per day and tried to drink lots of water. I ate healthy carbs when I did. I ate a Hershey Kiss at the end of each day. I made an effort to eat white meats instead of red. I didn't count calories. The only exercising I did was housework and trying to stay off my tush. After 14 days, I upped my carb intake to 30-40 per day. That's it. And it worked like a charm.

In 6 weeks, I lost 15 pounds. Woo Hoo! Then it was Christmas, and by some divine miracle, I managed to survive the holidays without gaining anything back-- no thanks to any effort of mine.

Fast forward to last Sunday. I stood on the scale to discover that I'd gained 3 pounds back. AND I was scheduled to go bridesmaid dress shopping in 4 days. Oh, yeah. Fantastic. I'm happy to say that as of this morning, I've lost the three pounds plus one more. Obviously I won't be a size smaller by Thursday, but at least I'm feeling a bit less... buoyant and more confident. That alone will make the dress shopping more fun.

Here's what I'm doing this time around:

I found this site, myfitnesspal.com. A ton of you probably know it or use it, and to you I say- how could you not share this with me?!? For those of you unfamiliar, it's a super easy way to track your daily calorie intake and physical activity. It lets you search their database for foods (there are millions!) and keeps a running total of calories, carbs, fat, and protein. The activity log works similarly. You can search for activities, and the site calculates the calories burned. There are more features, but I'm just getting my feet wet! Everything on this site is free!

The second thing I found and love is Exercise TV . It's a huge database of fitness videos available to stream for free and with no sign up. The problem with videos is that I get so BORED with the same ones, and I hate to spend money to purchase new ones. Yesterday, I did the Celebrity Shred, and today I did Kickbox. I'm finding that if I choose a video when I wake up, I can let it fully buffer and then play without a hitch when I'm ready. I'm sure those of you who live in the civilized parts of the country, the parts with real high speed internet, won't need to allow time for buffering.

So there you go!

May your scales greet you with smaller numbers!

The Simple Woman's Daybook: February 8th

2010-02-08T04:16:00.000-08:00

For Today... February 8, 2010

Outside my window... Black. I'm guessing it's snowing again, but it's too early to tell. The radio is listing school closings, but I haven't yet been given permission to turn off Big Sister's alarm clock and snuggle back under the covers.

From the kitchen... I bought some fugi apples yesterday- they are fabulously delicious and will make the perfect snack for me today. The kids much prefer granny smiths, and we have pile of those as well.

I am wearing... My snowflake pajama pants from a girls trip to Chicago. I truly love the silly pictures we have of all four of us wearing them in our Hard Rock Hotel room. How much has changed since that trip two Decembers ago!

From the Learning Rooms... My big brother sent a model rocket for Little Mister's birthday. I think we'll attempt to make the rocket together and make a theme day out of it. Last week, he learned all about the lungs. He can tell you all about the oxygen/carbon dioxide exchange. I never know what he's going to ask!

I am creating... pirate patches. Because we've misplaced the one from the eye doctor too many times. I think a back-up (or two) is in order!

I am praying... for a safe morning commute for Hubby. I hate that he travels so far in the snow- or any time really.

Around the house... Cleaning up from a photo appointment yesterday and folding laundry. The kitchen floor is begging for a hands-and-knees scrub.

One of my favorite things... Norah Jones. Love her. She has a new album out!

I am pondering these words... "You may share DNA, but it doesn't mean you share the same values." - Dr. Laura

A few plans for the rest of the week... A cooking lesson/play date. We're making biscuits and gravy. Let's home my gravy doesn't flop that morning! Oh yeah... and searching desperately for a sitter for Thursday, bridesmaid dress shopping, a 4-H Valentine to help with, a meeting with my bride-to-be little sister and her photographer. Looks like I better enjoy this lazy Monday!

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...

Little Miss loves "Minnie Mouse ears" (pigtails). She'll wear them for an hour or more before tearing them out which is a huge leap from where we were a month ago!

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Having a Baby Change Everything

2010-02-05T18:19:00.000-08:00

I remember a time when I left a restaurant arm in arm with my husband. Maybe he'd have his arm around my shoulders, or he'd be guiding me with his hand against the small of my back. I'd be looking up at him, smiling or laughing at one of his goofy comments. He'd open my car door and tuck me safely inside; I'd wait for him to take his seat beside me. It was just the two of us.

And then there's tonight. When we left Texas Roadhouse, me ten feet in front of him trying to keep Little Mister from running off toward the car, him with an armful of Little Miss and the birthday presents from the evening. I opened the passenger side sliding door and helped Little Mister into his seat. Daddy opened the opposite door and buckled Little Miss.

Life is so very different now than it was 4 years ago. Blissfully happy, but almost unrecognizably different. We just fit together, my husband and I, we worked. Now we're like a well-oiled machine. We have to be, but the mechanic evenings that we have sometimes... No, there's no real room for spontaneity. Not like there used to be. The kids have us running in seventeen directions, leaving little time for simply smiling up into his face.

But I suppose I'll have that back soon enough. Before long, we'll be missing the craziness that is our life right now. Before long, we'll walk arm in arm from restaurants behind a group of kids too old to want to run off into the street. I'll let him open the car door for me because we won't have to help the little one into their seats. And we'll miss the days when we had to put so much effort into keeping control of our life.

Nature Friends

2010-02-04T21:00:00.000-08:00

When you live in the middle of nowhere, you get lonely sometimes. But if you look closely, you'll find lots things begging for your attention.

Like the opossum that snuggled into our basement when the plumbers left the door open a few months ago. We had lots of excitement that night. Hubby originally assured me that the noise I heard down there was a cricket. Right. One big freaking bug! Once we figured out that ~~I was right~~ it really was an opossum, the adventure of releasing the creature back into the wild ensued. It took 3 adults, a barricade of old paneling saved from demo and 12 rounds from a pellet gun to stun the guy into submission long enough to shoo him out the door. Even then, he turned around with "let's see whatcha got" eyes and wanted to fight us. He sure beat our plans to jam on the spoons, whiskey jug and Jew's Harp that night!

And the time when the squirrel set up house under our roof. We spent months banging messages back and forth through the walls and ceilings, that squirrel and I. Hubby tried to seal up it's entrance and trapped it inside for a weekend instead. A few days of cabin fever and that squirrel let us know he'd been left behind! I finally saw him gnawing on a tree yesterday and ran out to reseal his hole. Now he's making a fuss trying to get back inside. I don't blame him. I'm sure all that insulation would beat the snow that's falling outside right now. I just hope a squirrel isn't capable of insurance claim damage.

Or the second (maybe the same) opossum that's facing off with our ~~mouse trap~~ cat on the deck tonight. The two have been staring each other down, hissing, and growling for the better part of two hours. I keep waiting for the bloodshed, but so far, nothing. I did get snapped at through the glass when I got too close to the action tonight. Opossums have to be the ugliest creatures God created.

This Little Prayer of Mine

2010-02-04T09:53:00.000-08:00

We say our bedtime prayers and our mealtime prayers. We pray for victims and rescue workers when we see an ambulance or fire truck. We attend Mass regularly and pray together there. We pray for our friends and family. We pray prayers of thanksgiving, adoration, and petition. All this praying that we do in our families, with our children! We hope that it brings us together... closer to the God we love and trust. We hope that it plants the seeds for our children to grow and mature in their faith and relationships with God. Sometimes I worry that I'm not doing enough to cultivate a long term love for God in my children. I try. I try to keep God alive in our home. I try to make my own faith visible to my children. I try to involve them in my faith in the hopes that it will be a springboard for theirs. And I pray.

Yesterday afternoon, the Fed Ex truck pulled up and delivered a much anticipated package! Last week, I received an email from Anthony DeStefano inviting me to be a part of the publicity effort for his new children's book, This Little Prayer of Mine. Little Mister was so excited that the author of a book was giving us a copy- and it would be here in time for his birthday! I, meanwhile, started researching Anthony DeStefano because I really like to know who I'm endorsing! This guy has led an amazing, busy, amazing life! Really, go read about him! Hubby and I were both impressed!

When we got the package yesterday, we just had to open it before we left to pick up Big Sister from school. Little Mister's eyes bulged from his head, and his chin dropped in amazement that the book had really come! You would've thought it had popped straight out of the computer screen!

After school, my kids and I sat around the counter in the kitchen, sugar cookies in hand, to find out what this book was all about. The prayer that is offered through the pages of This Little Prayer of Mine covers so many issues (the ones that seem life or death to a 3 year old) that my children haven't yet learned to pray through. A little girl prays to be happy even though her doll was dismembered by her puppy. A boy was left out of the group of kids (Big Sister thought it was awesome that there was a DSi in that illustration). In a store, the boy, arms heaping with a pile of toys remembers to say thank you for all that he already has.

The book even made me stop and think about what I do when these situations arise. More often than not, I'm cuddling my toddler when she's sad, giving my tweenager advice when she's left out, and disciplining my preschooler when he's grabbing toys from the shelves on our shopping trips. These are not situations where I instinctively teach prayer... but they should be.

I didn't expect this to be a children's book that would reach all of my children, ages 2 to 10, one that would make each of them (and me) think. But Anthony DeStefano's children's book, This Little Prayer of Mine did just that. The book is available to pre-order now for just shy of nine bucks and will be released next week, on February 16th. I really do believe that this book would be a valuable addition to any kids' bookshelf and prayer life!

These opinions are my own.

I was not paid for this review.

Tween Daughters- Bridging the Gap

2010-02-03T12:36:00.000-08:00

Big Sister is morphing from a little kid to a very capable tweenager. She has a good head on her shoulders, but there are still days when I feel like we're on our way to being strangers. Lately, I've been reflecting on my own pre-teen (because that's what we were called in those days!) years to see what made me feel special. Between the ideas that I liked growing up and some of my new experiences, I'm gaining ground with my kiddo instead of loosing touch with her.

Try these ideas to reconnect with your tweenage daughter...

* Give her a piece of your jewelry. Make sure it's something appropriate for her age. Earrings that hang down to her shoulders will not do the trick! Consider resizing a ring, choosing necklace that can be wrapped twice around her neck or a brooch that can be converted to a hair pin.

* Read a book together. Find a novel that you'll both enjoy, buy or borrow two copies, and read it book club style. Maybe hit a coffee shop for an evening of reading. Celebrate the conclusion of the book.

* Find a hobby to share or start (and finish!) a project together.

* Pass down your prized possession. Be it a camera that you've upgraded from, an older sewing machine, a book collection from your childhood, a tween daughter will feel privileged to be the owner of something dear to you.

* Make her a friendship quilt.

*Do something childish with her. Skating, sledding, slip 'n' sliding... it doesn't matter as long as she's seeing you on her level, letting your hair down and being silly!

* Find your own "anniversary" to remember. Know the dad you found out you were pregnant with her? Maybe the day she first said "mama" or your first girls' night. Let her help you decide, but mark it on the calendar!

* Have an actual conversation with her every day. Don't let the relief of having a kid who is self-sufficient lead to a realization that you haven't spoken to you daughter in a week. Make sure the talk involved something more than "How was your day?" or "Do you have any homework." Ask her about specifics and respond to what she has to say.

* Get excited about what she's excited about-- even if you have to morph into your pre-teen self to do it. You could get on the floor and stack block with her at 1, you can most definitely play on Build-a-Bear.com for a while and love it.

* Pray together. With prayer comes closeness, appreciation, admiration, and respect. Pray out loud for yourselves, for each other, in thanks and for guidance. Complete a bible study or faith building book together.

*Embarrass her- but not too much! Yell "I love you!" out the window when you drop her off at school, but don't do it if you've left your curlers in for the drive! Leave her a note of a picture of the two of you in her lunchbox or notebook. Send her flowers.

Is it Just Me...

2010-02-02T19:06:00.000-08:00

Or could this kid be a model for eyeglasses?

I thought I was a sucker for a man in specs, but I had no idea how deep this love ran until today!

Maybe it's because boys in glasses are more cautious, less aggressive (because Mommies like me are paranoid about having to pay for replacements)

Maybe they have a stronger sense of responsibility grown from years of caring for a valuable accessory.

Or maybe boys in glasses are just plain adorable, goofiness and squirreliness and all!

Recipe: Saltine Toffee Bark

2010-02-02T18:52:00.000-08:00

A successful experiment adapted from something my mother used to make...

Ingredients:

16 saltine crackers

1/2 Cup butter

1/2 Cup brown sugar

1 oz unsweetened baker's chocolate

Directions:

Line an 8" square pan with aluminum foil. Lay saltines in rows, covering the bottom of the pan. In a saucepan, bring butter, brown sugar, and chocolate to a boil. Continue to boil for 2 more minutes, stirring constantly. Pour over crackers. Bake at 400 degrees for 5 minutes. Remove from oven. Cool for 10 minutes. Place pan in refrigerator until completely cool. Remove foil from back of bark and break into pieces. Serves 16.

Little Miss

2010-02-02T06:51:00.001-08:00

Little Mister's birthday is this week, so you'll likely get a double dose of birthing stories. No horror stories this time around! Someday I'll write about Big Sister and what NOT to do, but not this week. Today is a chance to make up for missing Little Miss' birthday post. I know. I'm horrible. Being born around the holidays stinks sometimes. What can I say? Thanksgiving was NOT the best week to sit down to reflect on the past years with her- but it wasn't the calmest week to give birth to her either!

Little Miss was my third pregnancy. I'd been at the hospital twice already only to return home empty handed. See, my pregnancies have each brought with them months of mild braxton-hicks contractions and weeks of moderate ones prior to labor. Living in the middle of nowhere, 45 minutes from the hospital, I didn't want to take a chance at giving birth in the car. Plus, with Little Miss, our insurance costs were the same regardless of the number of false alarms.

On Monday night, I was up crocheting, watching nothing on TV, and trying to figure out what in the world happened to my BH contractions. They'd all but stopped, go figure! Little did I know, it was the calm before the storm! I turned in earlish at 10 or so, and at 11:00, I woke up in... discomfort. Not pain. I laid there waiting for the next fake contraction, and right away (or maybe I'd fallen asleep between them) felt another. Crap. And I was sleeping so soundly! I left Hubby sleeping and got up to see if they would stop when I switched positions. Nope. After having a few 2 minutes apart, I started to get scared. No, they weren't painful, but we were 45 minutes from the hospital and had two sleeping kids upstairs. Hubby got up, I called my parents to come for the kids, and decided to get in the shower, brush my teeth and fix myself up... just in case. I didn't even have time to put shampoo in my hair before I decided I'd better forego the effort for cute pictures and get my tush to the door!

As soon as the headlights swept across the driveway, we headed out to meet my parents. Dad stayed behind, and hubby and I climbed in with my mom to head to the hospital. I still wasn't convinced that this was labor. It was more uncomfortable than I'd experienced, but definitely not painful. I could walk and talk through them for the most part.

It was midnight when we got to the ER and 12:15 when we arrived in the maternity ward. The nurse showed me to an empty labor room, saying "SNIL" to the nurse beside her. She didn't offer me a gown, just asked that I undress from the waist down so that she could check my dilation.

"Are you wanting pain medication, Hun?" asks the nurse.

"I'm hoping not to have any," I reply.

"Well, that's good because you're a nine. It's too late for pain meds."

A nine?!?

Two thoughts went through my head. "Holy crap. I'm not ready to have this baby- I thought I'd be sent back home." and "I could've had this kid in the car!" My mom caught my complete reaction and shared it for just a moment before all hell broke loose around me.

The room filled with nurses helping me undress and gown up, insert an IV, prep the newborn area, and ask me all sorts of questions. "Did you have any complications with your prior births?" "Did either of your children have wide shoulders?" Apparently, my water was the only thing saving the nurse from delivering without a doctor. She did a great job concealing it, but I could tell she was more concerned than I was about that possibility.

At 12:40, the on-call doctor (my OB's wife) arrived, broke my water, caught my kid, and was wrapping up by 12:50AM. I teased her that she made easy money that night!

After the hubbub subsided, we were able to process everything, and my nurse confessed that she just knew we would be going home tonight- so much so that she'd tagged me SNIL: Smiling Not In Labor.

She was on her own schedule then, and she's been that way ever since. She didn't laugh until she was 9 months old, didn't walk until nearly 16 months, and was potty trained at 18 months.

Are you a sucker for birth stories? In Honor of Mama M's birthday, she's hosting a Birth Story Blog Hop! Share your story and let me know you linked up so I can visit you!

The Simple Woman's Daybook: February 1st

2010-02-01T07:00:00.000-08:00

For Today... February 1, 2010

Outside my window... Praise God for this blue sky! Our road is still a solid sheet of packed snow in most parts, but I was able to get Big Sister off to school this morning in spite of the elements. Our firewood pile is dwindling, and I'm afraid we'll be relying solely on the electric before the week is out.

From the kitchen... I made a dessert that my husband loves. I think it's the third time I've done this in the seven years I've known him! This one involved saltine crackers, brown sugar, butter and unsweetened baking chocolate. I loved the smell of cooking it more than anything! I'll have to post the recipe later.

I am wearing... my Maurices jeans, a pink long sleeve tee and a UMR St. Pat's sweatshirt. Oh, and socks- orange and black ones from my OHS teaching days.

From the Learning Rooms... We're finishing up letter writing with a trip to the post office this week. We were supposed to go on Friday, but Little Miss was sleeping when we picked up Big Sister from school, and I didn't want to wake her. It's just like the little stinker to get in the way of our projects! I suppose she's learning a lot, and Little Mister is learning patience!

I am creating... more space in our office! My dad helped us install the cabinet portion of our family room shelf unit yesterday, so we finally have a home for our huge box of board games. That leaves a bit of wiggle room in our office/storage room.

I am praying... for my family members, my friends, and my children! Especially my children. Big Sister and I talked last night about dating, and I told her how smart she is about boys right now... and how dumb most girls get about when it's time to start dating. She thought she'd rather watch her friends make dumb decisions and just learn from them. Oh, how I pray she keeps this mindset, and I pray that I can become a wise parent prepared for teenagers in the next few years!

Around the house... Just general upkeep. The kitchen is where I'll focus my efforts today, and I hope do some more sorting of the office.

One of my favorite things... My little boy. Of course, each of my children is one of my favorite things, but Little Mister is particularly witty these days. He's growing into his own little self more and more, and there are moments when I get to catch a glimpse of the strong, protective man he has the potential to grow into... and then he whops Little Miss with the lid to a board game and we're back to today!

I am pondering these words... "Perhaps the greatest social service that can be rendered by anybody to the country and to mankind is to bring up a family." ~George Bernard Shaw

A few plans for the rest of the week... Picking up Little Mister's glasses, finding some time to do birthday pictures (He'll be four this time next week!) and going to our final week of Taekwondo as we've decided that it will better suit him in a year or so.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...

Me and Little Mister on his first birthday!

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