The Dilema

 I feel snowed in and housebound.

 He wishes that he didn't have to go to work in this weather.

Any perfect solultion for us??

And no thanks, but the solution may NOT include me going to work for him. (my foot is firmly planted on the floor on this issue)

snow day(s)

The dead of winter is upon us. School is cancelled today. What do you do on a snow day when it's too cold to go out and play in the snow? And when one child is running a fever and another is teething and crying and another has limitless energy as he recovers from a recent bout with sickness and another just wants to do projects all.day.long.?????? And you haven't been to the store in 9 days?

IHEARTPINTEREST

I found this awesome recipe for making paint on pinterest. The most amazing thing is that I actually have all the ingredients needed to make this paint in my house today. {score!} Amazingly this paint is super easy to make and takes 5 min. max to whip up. And even more amazing yet is the fact that this paint works wonderfully. Nice consistency. Nice texture. Much nicer than the cheap water paints that you can buy at the store.  Just nice all around.

My kids LUUUVE to paint. Happiness factors soar off the chart when I mention anything that has the word paint or brush in it.

I love to see my kids being creative. It's worth the effort it takes on my part. But it is always hard for me to make the initial mental assent to my day being overtaken with paper and glue and paint.

Once I get past that hurtle, I usually have fun myself. In fact, I couldn't keep my hands out of the paint either. I'm not proud of my work as an artist, but I try to paint and create with freedom in hope that my kids will be able to do the same. There will always be great(er) artists, writers, photographers. Always. It is easy for me to allow that fact to paralyze me. I want my children to know a different way. So we do our best together and sometimes we create bad art.

my attempt at painting a tree





Christopher laughed at the last painting I did. 'Mom, trees don't grow IN water!!!'.

Well.

'Son, this tree is growing BY the water, but since I do not know how to paint that, I painted it IN the water'.

After we're done painting today we're planning a daffy supper, thanks to the inspiration of my good friend, Shari.

And after that, when the boys become engrossed in a chess game, Angeline and I are going to make a valentine's wreath from coffee filters.

And after that we're going to try making snow cream. I'm super hungry for ice cream and since we do not have any in the house.....

And after that Dad will say, "BEDTIME!"

And the kids will say, "Already?!?!" (as if bedtime is a totally foreign idea)

And Dad will reply, "Already!!!!!"

And under his breath he'll mutter, "you're mother is totally pooped!"

And now. Do tell me please, what do you do with your kids on snow days???

Listening for Truth

The breath of the Accuser hangs heavy in the air. Stinky. Suffocating. Burning my eyes.

Destruction- that’s what he is all about.

I hate him.

Jesus, Jesus-

I cry out to you.

I must hear your voice.

Open my ears to hear you.

Fill my heart and mind with your truth.

Your truth is not always sugar-coated and it does not always stroke my ego. But. Your truth, it builds me up. Sometimes the building is hard, but you always build. And you never destroy.

I believe the Accuser’s number one tactic with me is that of simple confusion. He knows that if he gets my mind muddled enough I won’t know who is saying what.

This morning I made 2 lists because I was feeling that overwhelming mental and spiritual fog. I had to sort things out. False accusations had to be put in their rightful place. I needed to stand on the truth. This is what I was hearing:

Accuser:

-you’re invaluable

-you have nothing to offer the world

-all your work-effort-labor….it’s all been in vain. You might as well have been out milking ducks for the last decade.

-everyone is sneering at your efforts

- Person X, Y, or Z are much more capable than you

-you might as well just give up

Jesus-The truth speaker:

-I’ve blessed you with the gift of servant hood. It won’t always feel fulfilling to your flesh, but it matters in my Kingdom

-You may always be my ‘Secret Agent of Grace’, always working as an undercover cop in my Kingdom, never gaining public honor.

-the unseen matters to me

-don’t play the comparison game. I have a unique and special purpose for you.

-no act of service inspired by your love for me is insignificant

-I need you.

 

I’m tuning into to this Truth Speaker today.

What’s He saying to you today?

Do you hear him?

Give the Accuser the boot that he deserves.

Hibernation

Confession: This winter I'm not really into planning fun activities for my kids.

 I have done better at coming up with creative activities other years, I think.... I mean, I hope.

This year I feel extra tired and weary. (I'll tell you more about that some other time)

While their awesome dad is out ice skating and sledding with them, I am teaching them a totally new game. It's been a steep learning curve for them....an entirely new idea.

The name of the game is 'Hibernation'.

I'm not sure if I've actually taught my kids anything about hibernation or if they've just heard me talking so much about wishing to hibernate that they think it's a cool idea now or what.

They've caught on to the basic idea of the game. They know that it includes being quiet and still for an entire season. They know it takes preparation to go into hibernation....gathering of food and blankets and packing on some fat.

 The only issue I have with the game is that their seasons are too short.

'It's spring now!!!!'

And out they come....hopping....bopping....bouncing.....pouncing.....



little joy girl is 5 months old

It seems about time I show my face on this blog and give a small update concerning my going on and showing off and so on and so forth.

Amazingly, 5 shorts months have passed since I showed my face on planet earth.  I am beginning to like it here more and more all the time. In fact, Mom says that I’ve had somewhat of a personality change in the last 2 months. I’m not the cranky little screamer that I used to me. See. I do a lot of this for a lot of people now.

 

 

Ok. Ok. I still have my moments. For example, I just don’t get into the idea of sleeping for a full 8 hours during the night. I think I’ve succeeded at training my mom in her night time zombiehood.  If I grunt and whine around at just the right volume at the right time, she’s sure to  pull me into her bed right next to her and give me a few swigs of milk. In a few minutes we're both fast asleep. I don’t mean to be tattling, but I think she sometimes is back in la-la land even before me.  It doesn’t bother me, since that means more time in her warm comfy bed.  I try to keep my disturbances to a minimum. I figure I can make it through the night with at least one or two bonding times with mom. I mean, my hard working mom deserves a bit of sleep some time.

 

I know how to do this cool arch move with my back. It gets me out of lots of tight spots, even my mom's grip sometimes. 

I think my walker is the coolest piece of baby gear ever. I get to move around and keep an eye on what’s happening around me. Being mobile makes me happy.

Speaking of being mobile, it’s no longer safe to lay me on the floor and expect me to stay put. Either I will roll or scoot my way all over the room. My family is amazed at some of my antics.

And yes, I will put anything in my mouth. Anything.

I love trying to grab my mom’s spoon while she is eating, or even better yet, her entire plate. Wheee….

I’ve been trying a few morsels of food here and there. I think applesauce is rather tasty. Baby cereal, well. It’s a tad bit bland, but I can handle a small amount here and there. I think it will be cool when mom starts feeding me more while I’m sitting in my high chair because I’ll get to eat and keep an eye on my family at the same time.

Dad says I’m his little charmer. I know just how to smile and then quickly turn away, all shy-like and burrow my head in Mom’s shoulder.  Of course, it’s all a big put on just to get his attention.

Most people say I look like my brother Nicholas. Mom and Dad can't decide which of my siblings I look the most like. Mom says that I'm like a melting pot of all the cuteness that has gone before me.

I recently decided that I enjoy grocery shopping with mom after all. That is, if she doesn't force me to recline in my car seat and play with silly baby toys. I'll be content for 2 hours as long as she is willing me wear me forward facing in my baby carrier.

 Oh. One other important statistic:

Mom just weighed me and I'm almost 15 lbs. Mom says I seem like a little peanut after having cared for my big brother Christopher. He was almost 18 lbs. at 4 months.

So. That's pretty much what is going on with me. I think 5 months is a rather grand age. I might just sit on it for a while.

of floral couches and such

Some of you already know about the attatchment issues I have with my floral couch of ten years and five months. My affection for this piece of furniture waxes and wanes on a daily basis.

My beloved couch was delivered to our tiny trailer, straight from the department store, along with 2 matching throw pillows. It was one of the few items that we purchased brand new when we set up our home. I loved it.

10 years passed by quickly.

Styles changed even more quickly.

There was no such thing as pinterest in those days.

5 children were born.

The couch was sat on, spit upon and jumped on.

One day 2 boys cut a gaping hole in the back of it.

The couch hosted many a guest.

Coffee was spilled on it.

Deep sleep and conversations found much comfort in the old couch.

The pillows became squashed.

I almost ate the pillows one day, nearly mistaking them for beautiful pancakes.

The couch has granted my sarcastic self many a pleasure. After all, it's better to use sarcasm on an object than a person.

10 years and 5 months plus a handful of days later I sat gazing at the couch, brainstorming...

Pinterest is great for brainstorming.

Aha........I know. PILLOWS. New pillows.

That would help matters.




the couch with its orginal throw pillow. I know, I know, trying to spot the pillow on the couch is about like playing 'where's waldo'




And sure enough.

24 hours later  my  main thought was: Why did I wait to so long?????

And my second thought was: "I think I can put up with this couch for a few years yet."

And my third thought was: "I better keep making more pillow covers to replace these because I don't think ruffles and flowers are going to survive very long in this rough house"

And ever since then, I've been thinking about making more pillow covers. The rush will soon pass, as all things usually go with me. But in the meantime, I'll see how many pillow covers I can whip through the sewing machine.

So.

Two questions:

What would you do with a floral couch like this one?

How helpful do you find pinterest to be in your everyday life?