The Joy of Christina

Buh-liss.

2011-04-13T13:13:00.002-05:00

Today, in the yard, the kids played their madness in the late-morning sun while I read my favorite chapter of The Hobbit and nursed a smiling baby. Bliss. In 30 words or less.

Best idea ever...

2011-03-29T09:15:00.002-05:00

...(that is, if you're teaching letters and your kids LOVE racing cars.)
This way, they can connect the racetracks (as pictured) or, if they're not feeling particularly generous, each one takes a D. I mean, racetrack. Then it becomes a matter of, who gets the capital and who gets the lowercase?

Love it.

Noam Speaks

2011-03-20T17:06:00.002-05:00

All (clean) Dogs Go to Heaven

2011-03-18T07:40:00.001-05:00

"Mommy, when we die and go to Heaven, maybe Maggie will come running from God's beautiful palace and through the gates of the city and she'll have her little finger-tail."

"Yeah, and it'll be wagging, like this."

(Mcclellan laughs)

"And she'll be bright, and shiny, and curly, and grey, and fluffy, and clean."

"Yeah. Because maybe God has a dishwasher up there."

Interview with a 4-Year-Old

2011-02-25T15:04:00.003-06:00

Dear Son,

You are four. And you are full of it. Case in point, below. I love you! Happy fourth birthday, big boy! You are no tiny sweet and sour pickle anymore! You are a huge sweet and sour pickle!

Love, Mama
What is your name? Michael Mcclellan Smith

How old are you? 4 (Shows me with fingers)

When is your birthday? February 20th.

Who is your mom? You! You are my mommy.

What does your mom do doing the day? Work What sort of work? Wash laundry...um, put Noam and Verity to sleep. And take me downstairs at naptime...and she types on the computer when I'm sleeping.

What does Daddy do during the day? He goes to work. And I go to work on Fat Tuesday. And what does he do at work? He works with pigs.

What is your favorite color? Black and white and pink and orange and yellow and white.

What is your favorite song? Jesus Loves Me

What do you want to do when you are a grown up? A farmer. In a field planting potatoes. In Idaho.

Where do you want to live when you grow up? In Idaho!

What is your favorite food? I like potatoes and meat. And I like to hog broccoli.

What is your least favorite food? Peppers, sometimes.

What is your favorite animal? A horse and a bear.

Who does our family love the most? Me!

What is your favorite ice cream flavor? Chocolate.

Where do you like to eat? At Fritz's train restaurant.

What is your favorite book? Spider-Man.

What is your favorite toy? This (shows me Trio blocks). With the guns!

How do you like to spend your time? With Mommy.

What is your favorite thing that happened last year? My birthday

What are you looking forward to doing this year? I'm looking forward to my Trio blocks! My favorite number is number 2!

There's a baby crying upstairs

2011-01-11T22:25:00.003-06:00

I know, because I can hear him on the monitor.

And, because I pushed him out about 2 and a half weeks ago. It's kinda hard to forget.

My lack of presence should be a good indicator of the business that's been underway 'round these parts. But, for some reason, I still can't abandon the good ol' blog.

To start, Noam Isak (that's who'd be crying...well, now hiccuping upstairs) was born on Christmas Eve. Christmas Eve? I know, right. 2 weeks early. Anyhow, considering how now, he'd be about a week old if he'd born "on time" (Jan. 5), and I'd have stowed him away for another two weeks, I'm glad he came early. Even if we didn't go to church for Christmas this year (again). We did open presents. On an anticlimactic Dec. 26. Oh, well. Noam, we are SO happy you are here now! Even if that means I must retreat while you fall asleep trying to suckle your daddy. I swear I nursed you for 2 hours (you puked once, so minus those 15 minutes it took to recover the laundry...oh! the laundry!) before I handed you over. And now, the crying (and hiccuping) has stopped so somebody must have done something right.

At any rate, Noam was born on Christmas Eve. That morning we'd all trekked to KC to get woodworking tools for the Christmas present Matt (is still working on) for the kids. Blocks. We all came along for the stop off at Krispie Kreme we had planned. After a lunch of donuts, coffee, and hot chocolate (yes), I texted Suzanne (midwife) just to let her know I was having weird contractions. Not bad ones. "Just different," I believe were my words. No biggie.

We went home, kids napped, I cooked a chicken for Christmas Eve dinner. By 4:30, I told Matt these "weird" (a.k.a. labor) contractions were becoming more regular even if they weren't super painful. We checked the "How to prepare for your home birth" sheet to see when and if we should call Suzanne. 40-60 seconds long (check) and 4-5 minutes apart (uh, check). When she asked if I felt like I was in labor, I said no, and that I expected these to peter out or last another two weeks. Since I was due for another, you know, two weeks.

At about 6, I called her again and told her she might want to come check me out. The contractions weren't necessarily more painful but they were more regular and intense. I figured she should see if there was something wrong with me or baby. She asked if she could eat Christmas Eve dinner with her family and then head out. I told her yes, because actually, I couldn't really be in labor anyway...

She arrived at 6:45 and I was transitioning to push. Already. Matt was in a frenzy feeding the kids the (amazing) chicken I'd roasted and the asparagus I'd (over)steamed while laboring. Blowing up the birthing tub. Filling it up with hot water while the dishwasher was running and he was trying to bathe the kids. Running out of hot water. Alternating cold shower water with hot boiling water off the stove. All the while, I'm readying to push out another tiny human (2 weeks early, mind you) while in disbelief that it was actually happening.

Where was our babysitter!? Stephanie was supposed to be there (after 1/1) to watch the kids. Then Katlyn said she could be available (but didn't answer her phone during church!). Suzanne tried her best to keep the kids involved with all that was going on ("Verity, take this washcloth to your daddy in the kitchen, please.") while trying to maintain the semi-sterile environment.

And then, before I know it, I'm in the tub, somehow in awkward, painful contortions, asking Suzanne during each push if she wants to check me because there's no way I'm fully dilated already and something must be wrong! At 7:49 Noam Isak shot into the water like a mini torpedo, red, screaming, and with a freakishly short umbilical cord (I remember). I screamed like a banshee and Mcclellan told me a few days later, "I thought you were gonna die." (Somehow, he has recovered. I think.) Matt cut his third cord, Noam nursed like a champ (if not a little bit munchy- a week of cracked nipples, again!), and Suzanne was gone by 9 pm. Phew!

Christmas this year, was a little bit busy.

But we'll have to visit Krispie Kreme every Christmas Eve from now on.

And now, back to our regularly scheduled programming. There is a baby crying upstairs.

Letter to my son (the second one)

2010-11-27T20:56:00.000-06:00

Dear N,
Effective today, you have received your eviction notice. You must vacate the premises in 4 to 6 weeks. Not because I can no longer bend at the waist or roll over in the middle of the night. Or because I have to pee every 7-12 minutes. But because I want to see how big your big toes are. And what color hair you have. And kiss your neck. Although, it would be nice to drop the extra pounds and not have squishy knees anymore.

Love, Your Mama

One thing leads to another

2010-11-15T14:56:00.002-06:00

Oh, I could go so many directions with that statement. In this case, the school table. Trying to to rearrange and organize the basement into some kind of play space, library area, and school space...just to make this table fit! But we do love it. It's given the kids a surface to draw, color, paint...sit...on. We love it. Today we painted pumpkin paper plates.
And this is what the rest of it looks like. I've sort of cleared the area of much "play" space, as we like to come down here to do our school activities. Play and work are kept upstairs, for the most part. We have filled the cube-shelf in nicely with all our books though- a veritable preschool library!
In setting up this school space, I, in turn, cleared out all my crafting/sewing area into the "nook" by the laundry room. But having everything all together, in one place, has made it much more available and conducive to actually making those Christmas presents I have slated. And I got three Christmas presents done today! To clean out the laundry area, required I sort through the baby clothes, wash what will be needed in a couple months, and organize a trip to the thrift store.

And all I want to do is sit here and listen to Christmas songs and eat Cheez-Its.

Weird Day

2010-11-09T13:57:00.003-06:00

Time change. Good thing to blame, right? Verity actually had the gall to stroll into our room this morning at 5:45. At least she was able to be coaxed back to sleep until 6:50.

And then, we met with the speech path this morning to go over Verity's sounds. She has few middle consonants and deletes many finals. And she's nasally. And she might have weird adenoids. At least I was able to get her in for an appt. with (a new...gasp!) pediatrician. Matt actually said yesterday that he hates pediatricians. We'll see how it goes.

Then Mcclellan cut a hole in my favorite green vinyl chair ever. With a knife. Like, a toy knife. I think he felt pretty bad about it, but I was so mad that I actually gave him the silent treatment. For like, an hour. Weird. So now I'm eating chocolate raisins and Skittles to give myself an outlet.

And Verity has decided that I look like this:

I said, "What, Verity. You think I'm all saggy and baggy, and have a hunchback, and have gray hair bundled up in a topknot?!" She replied, "Yeah."

Awesome.
Weird.

Fun with Bellies

2010-11-08T14:18:00.002-06:00

My cool mom sent pajamas for the kids and a new (much-needed) shirt that actually fits in the mail today. And a Lowe's card for Matt. Because he always needs hardware more than clothing. ;)

After this shot, both Mcclellan and Verity attempted trying on Baby N's pajamas.

During my monthly belly shots, Mcclellan needed to get in on the action. He gave birth to a deer named Baby H for Henry.

Verity found Baby P (Piggy) and joined in.

What will we do with our spare time when there are no more bellies to shoot?

Good thing those bellies can always be filled up again... ;)

First Annual Ref Day Party!

2010-10-31T21:38:00.004-05:00

The fare: vegetable-beef stew, pumpkin birthday cake for Desiderius Erasmus, gingerbread men (and women)...

...fresh-roasted chestnuts (many thanks to the men who peeled all of them!)...

...caramel apples...

...and two goonies, ready to celebrate! (I didn't eat them though, tempting as they were)

The kids played endless dress-up. Five kids under 5. What a party! They had about as much fun handing out candy (imagine a group of four preschoolers hoarding inside the doorway, trying to put candy into about as many trick-or-treaters multiple bags- because they show up in groups of no less than 5 or 6).

Mrs. Ney's game-face. She was sure her son was going to triumph over my son in "Pin the 95 Theses on the Church Door." Too bad for her, my son won by 3/16". Go Mcc.

Even the littlest Mary got in on the pinning action.

Me, sending off the winner!

The daddies read and tamed the children during the reading of Martin Luther: A Man Who Changed the World! They lasted until about Luther's stowage at Wartburg. Pretty impressive. We'll see how far we make it next year.
The night ended with a group candle-walking around the yard in the dark, while singing Ein Feste Burg (in English), led by those well-versed Presbyterians we call friends. After our friends departed, Mcclellan announced, "I liked that song!" Happy Reformation Day to you!

Reformation Day...er, I mean Halloween

2010-10-30T15:00:00.003-05:00

That's right...I still don't have the guts to explain the fact that we are celebrating Martin Luther's changing of the world tomorrow night, rather than ghosts and goblins. Everywhere we go, people are haranguing my kids with "What are you going to be for Halloween?!" The waitress last night, when Mcclellan told her he was going to be "Strongman" (his own superhero invention), she commented, "Oh! Are you going to be a nice Strongman...or a scary Strongman!" Huh? Why does Halloween have to be so darn jaded?!
Sure, I like candy. And our explanation this year to Mcclellan as to why we are not going trick-or-treating is because (rightly so) we don't like taking candy from strangers. As I want my children to understand anyway. Sure, sure, you say, "99.9% of the population is handing out perfectly safe candy." I've said it myself. Its the principle, people. Besides, our family eats lots of candy and I have no problem stocking my largest stainless steel mixing bowl with Skittles and Milky Way (my choices) and Raisinets (Verity's) and Mike n Ike (Mcc) and Reese's cups (Matt) and caramels (for the apples). So we bought a Willy Wonka mix of 170 pieces. That's all I want to hand out to strangers anyway. More than 170 pieces?! Really? Isn't that enough, for the love of Pete?
In the meantime, we will be playing "Nail the 95 Theses on the Church Door" (think Pin the Tail on the Donkey), doing a candle walk through the backyard in the black night, and telling stories and reading books (yes, the Bible included- you can call us lame, its alright) about famous reformers such a Erasmus, Calvin, and yes, Martin Luther. No I didn't make amazing period costumes for the children like this mama did (considering it though, for next year!). But we will be eating some amazing fall fare, playing games and spending time together, purposefully, for a noble reason (think Phil. 4:8).
I'm not against the trick-or-treating. Hence why we will be handing out our 170 pieces. But, when it really comes down to it, the purposes for Halloween are these: 1. Get candy. 2. Wear a costume (maybe) to get that candy. 3. Said costume can either be cute or deathly scary. 4. Drink. Now while I'm not necessarily against any of those, my question is, Why designate an entire holiday for this?
1. My kids get candy plenty. And I'm not saying, Oh, they get one organic lollipop once a month. No, we do have a Skittles machine in our living room, people. We like us some good candy. And the machine is full of money.

2. Dress up. Need I say more? The kids (granted, are 2 and 3) love dress up and that's all we're going to do tomorrow too. Besides, one day Mcclellan wants to be a fireman. The next, a racecar driver. The next, a dragon. The next...you get my point. I just can't afford that, esp since no matter what costume I do settle on buying him, it will, inevitably, not be what he wanted to be that particular day.

3. I don't like scary things. And I don't necessarily want my kids to either. This goes back to a recent discussion I've been having with several people about the children's horror genre in literature (we're talking boogie-man, vampires, Frankenstein, etc....not Saw VI). Why? I mean, why, really? What does it mean to "like" to be scared. And I'm opening this one up for discussion, folks.

4. I love drinking. I do. Regardless of the fact that I am on year 5 of being pregnant or nursing, I do love me an occasional pumpkin ale or glass of pinot. But, like the candy, we can do that (and do!) any day of the year.
So, that said, Halloween...er, Reformation Day, tomorrow will be celebrated in a way that I'd much rather commemorate as a "holiday" than the traditional American mass-culture (big surprise there). I want my children to appreciate the church's history more than tricks and treats. I don't want to celebrate it on some inane, random day of the year; why not on the day that Luther did throw the church as we knew it into upheaval? My apologies if it interferes with the festivities of norm tomorrow. But, I think we'll have a pretty darn good time of it anyway, and not be too, too, wholesomely weird about it.

(Pictures above: The children atop pumpkins at Pome on the Range in Williamsburg, KS; at Schaake's Pumpkin patch on the ghostie bench; me and our Pome pumpkin, for size comparison; Verity reading to Strongman, I mean...Mcclellan; his self-made pirate costume.)

Counting blessings instead of sheep

2010-10-13T20:37:00.003-05:00

"And we'll fall asleep...counting our blessings!"
Lately, we've been trying to pray using the ACTS model: Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication. For example:

Adoration
Me: "Can you think of something about God that is good or great? Something you can praise him for?"
Mcclellan: "Um. Thank you God for making such a great creation."

Confession
Me: "How about, can you think of a way to confess your sins? To tell God you're sorry for the bad things you've done today?
Mcclellan: "Dear God, please will you forgive me for the bad things I did? I'm sorry."

Thanksgiving
Me: Can you think of something to thank God for?
Mcclellan: Thank you God for creating everything." (We've been doing the creation stories from the Bible in Sunday School, lately.)

Supplication
Me: "Is there anything you want to pray for? Like a way for God to help you or give you something you need?"
Mcclellan: I think God has a blue boat, with two people on it and it has cars that go on it.
Me: Well, okay, but can you think of anything you want to ask God for?
Mcclellan: Dear God, can I have pizza?
Me: How about we ask God for good food tomorrow? Dear God, bless us with good food and water for our bodies tomorrow.
Mcclellan: And I have a good prayer I want to thank God for! Thank you, God, for refrigerators.

At this point, I told him yes, he could thank God and pray for things all night long if he wanted to. I sat in his chair as he continued. "Thank you God for toy tractors...and for pizza....and for..." And it was at this point that I left him to fall asleep talking to the Lord.

Appling

2010-10-12T20:27:00.004-05:00

I can't think of a better way to describe the spending of about 2 hours of the day elbows-deep in APPLES: Appling. That's what I did today. Huge amounts of thanks to my husband who entertained and worked our children raking acorns, bathed them, and read devotions. Verity was sitting patiently in her rocking chair for me to come say goodnight as soon as I was done putting the apple peeler into hot, soapy water. And as soon as I came out, there was Matt, just come in from another delivery to the compost heap, and washing my apple peeler. I filled 4 and a half gallon bags of processed apples.

Phew.

This is what we started with. Fifteen pounds of several varieties of apples, fresh-picked from Pome on the Range, by the eight hands that belong to our family. It took us about 2 hours to pick them all, and Matt's strong-arm to carry them to the car (along with the pumpkin). The kids were stellar at staying occupied, having fun, and actually being useful at the orchard. It was heaven!
But then, the fruit flies. Oh, the fruit flies! I'm not one for rushing my projects and while I knew the apples wouldn't last long, I didn't expect to have to peel and slice them already. I like a little pressure on myself to get a project done. Fruit flies taking over my home = PRESSURE. So I got to work this morning.
This is about half of the total produce we brought home, and the remains for my second shift this evening.

Get a load of this apple!

Just to give you an idea, here he is next to a grocery-store sized apple that
we would normally eat. Wowsa.

Just when I thought I couldn't get anymore barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen (which, incidentally, I was), I looked over to see how much more I had left to do. Lots.

(And yes, that is my ice cream sandwich to spur me on and give me the strength to finish.)

I love this one. I think it was my favorite. I remember actually picking him. He came off a winesap tree and we didn't get many of his kind, but he was beautiful.

Ahh, processed apples. I foresee pies...butter...jam...sauce...bread...muffins...

The gory mess in the end. This is the fourth bowl of peels to compost. I wish we could have kept them for some kind of processing, but so many of them we so eaten up (I only came across one live worm and had to pitch only two bad apples!), that it would have taken another day to sort good peel from bad peel. But with all those cores anyway, we might have own veritable orchard next spring pop up in compost! Wouldn't that be lovely?

Anatomy of a Play Scene

2010-10-12T14:14:00.004-05:00

I'm sure you moms out there are way too familiar with this scene. Perhaps even too familiar (and overwhelmed or disgusted) to read on further. For myself (and those of you who really care), I log this moment in time, as my 2- and 3-year-old children play. Mind you, with about none of the stuff littered around the rug...

Let's take a closer look (click on the picture and then maximize it...if you really care).

This is definitely one of those scenes where you've seen it a thousand times, you've supervised the forensics of (or cleaned it up yourself, in which case I can understand why this post might gross you out), or you've perhaps even participated in the composition of such scene. At any rate, I often find my own feet stumbling over these moments (imagine that), and thought, for once, I'd revel in it and commemorate it as just "Another Day in the Life." What a life!

Digression

2010-10-09T09:52:00.004-05:00

Today, on 10-10-10 (I find no real significance, just chronicling the date), I am:
1. making ultra-cute diapers for a friend's impending baby girl (because I buy boring, cheap fabric for my own children's buns).
2. baking the pumpkin (because its all of 86 degrees outside today. In mid-October!).
3. laundry. Oh, and more laundry. And after that? Laundry (because its getting harder to bend over to my front-loaders without the towers that they should be stood up on).
4. cleaning bathrooms (because...well, they're gross).

But before I start all that...

October had seen better days. On this particularly cool morning, after Verity got dressed, she found herself a sweater (and house boots) to help stay toasty. Industrious children, I have.

And he was thrilled to sleep in fleece jammies.

It was actually cool enough to warrant a hot breakfast. I am a firm believer that every child should have (from-scratch!) pancakes (usually made by Daddy on a Saturday) at least once a week.
We even had hot apple cider- cooked on the stovetop, nonetheless! It would have been better on a cast-iron stove, fueled by coal or wood or corn, but I do what I can with what I've been given.

The spread.

And then this one?

This one is 2.
This one sprained her ankle at the park.
This one is milking it.

This one still has a gimp this morning.

Dress up!

2010-09-20T15:06:00.004-05:00

This was the "big" Epiphany present for the kids last year. They could've cared less about it, much to my chagrin. And then, whenever Mcclellan asked if he could play dress-up, I winced because I knew that meant stripping down to his skivvies so he could put on the "black star jumper." So today, when he asked, I made up the rule, "Yes, but you need to keep your clothes on." He changed into "soft" pants (to make the dressing-up easier?) and proceeded to try on every single thing in the suitcase. It was dress-up heaven. Verity got pretty serious on the action too. Its one of those activities that makes my heart finally sing, because let's face it, when I gave it to them last year, it just wasn't developmentally appropriate yet. They've grown into it (and out of some of the following ensembles)!

Practice

2010-09-19T21:15:00.002-05:00

What a good mommy.

Or should I say, big sister?

Need to practice with the not-poking-of-the-eyes business.

And finding a diaper that will fit.

Monstrous Owls

2010-08-31T11:36:00.002-05:00

Yesterday, Mcclellan let out a terrified shriek and "Mama! Mama! Mama!" that I know only means he's really, really scared of something.

(usually, its the dark, and I just remind him to turn on the light)

I ran into his room and he was crying because he "heard owls." "What!?" I half-laughed. "I heard them hooting!" I continued to explain that even if there were owls outside...

(which there aren't, we live in a town, and they live in the woods, son)

...owls aren't scary. Nevermind, that it was 4pm, and they were probably all sleeping anyway.

(I didn't want him to bring up a slightly more rational fear of owls just because the lights would go out later- irrational fears are no fun at 2am)

And that was that. Except that every time he headed into his room or into the darkish hallway, he brought up the owls. Not really in a terrified way, but in a way that they just kept nagging at him.

(If you know already that Mcclellan is having eye surgery next week, you might see where I'm going with this)

With no midnight wakings last night, I figured we were good. Except then he started talking about his ceiling fan making a motorcycle noise. Or that he heard geese flying outside. And when I sat down on my squeaky bed in the room across the hall, he swore he heard an old pickup truck in the house.

I finally confronted him while we were making ridiculously delicious cranberry-chocolate-peanut butter-oatmeal cookies this morning and he complained about owls again.

"Is something bothering you, Mcclellan?"
(blank stare)
"Why, all of a sudden, are you bringing up that you hear strange noises whenever you go into your room? Are you thinking about something that is scary?"
"My eye surgery," he confessed and rather blurted out.
"Ohhhh. (as if I didn't know) Well, are you scared of your eye surgery next week?"
"Yeah."
"It's okay to be scared of your eye surgery...
(and I proceeded to tell him why he didn't need to be scared of eye surgery, but what is logic in the face of an irrational fear?)
...but if you think about it and you start to feel scared about it, come and tell me that you are scared of your eye surgery. Not owls, or geese, or other noises you think you hear."
"I'm scared of my eye surgery."
"Okay."

And that was that. He came and told me he was scared again once, and I held his hand (tightly) when he requested accompaniment as he walked down the hallway to get his stool from the bathroom to help wash dishes. Other than that, so far, we're good with honesty.

To think that the surgery coordinator (who has a degree in what? Child psychology? Surgery coordination?) told me to just avoid and sugar coat. Hmmm.

Wait a minute...

2010-08-26T07:16:00.002-05:00

It just hit me...

I have two really ridiculously good-looking, enormous children.

I am 5 months pregnant. There's gonna be a baby 'round these parts very soon.

My baby will be 2 in two weeks.

My son will be having eye surgery in two weeks.

Phew! Where does the time go?

Big Two!

2010-07-26T15:06:00.002-05:00

I'm getting ready...

This may or may not involve me making a pinata by hand...
Stay tuned.

How to put on your new big-girl pants in 10 easy lessons:

2010-07-22T21:17:00.002-05:00

1. The first attempts almost always involve the sit-and-put-on approach.
2. As long as you get both legs in the right holes (one hole for each leg, of course), it is pretty easy to stand on up from there.
3. But, then there's the inevitable booty shuffle where you must try to jiggle all that junk into the backside of your underwears. Making faces in this step help to accomplish your goal.
4. Shake it enough and your junk will (eventually) fall into place.
5. When you are ready for a new pair (because when you get an eight-pack of new big-girl underwears you must try each pair on), select ones you haven't tried yet, and jump right on in to the stand-and-put-on approach.
6. Look around while putting the other leg in, because, you know, you're just sooo darn good at what you do, you don't even need to pay attention.
7. Grab both sides of the waistband as you pull up, knowing you are almost fully underweared.
8. Remember that pesky bum. Pull that waistband on up and over.
9. Check the bum to make sure you now have full coverage (you do!).
10. Smile with a ridiculous amount of cool because, dang it, its just cool that you can put on your own big-girl underwears.

Good morning, Starshine! The world says, "Hello!"

2010-07-18T06:38:00.004-05:00

I've given in. Which is fine, because I recently decided I really need to be waking up early anyway.
The reasons for my surrender to the dawn include:
1. This reason might be #1 because:
a.) its the best reason to wake early,
b.) its the most frequently occurring reason to wake early,
c.) its the reason that makes me most resentful about my early-morning duties, and therefore the one needing the most attention and reconciliation, or
d.) all of the above. My husband does not hear. He is deaf in one ear and sleeps with his good ear down. I am the only one capable of waking and tending to...whatever needs to be tended to. Which brings me to #2...

2. My children seem to have the "worst" part of their nights between the hours of 5 and 7. And yes, I consider these hours nighttime still, considering that most nights they are not asleep until 10pm. "Sorry that bright summer sunlight is raiding your bedroom at 5:45. It's still night time. Go back to sleep." Which means that from the hours of 5 am until 7 am, I am the parent responsible for keeping them asleep. These are the hours that it seems most nightmares, most requests to use the potty, and the most occurrences of lost and much-needed water bottles occur.

3. I get tired of getting up to help Verity. Lie down and get comfy. Go redirect Mcclellan and tell him I don't care if he doesn't sleep anymore, its not awake time yet, he has to lie in bed until 8 am. Go lie back down. Verity starts throwing a fit because she lost her bottle; help her find it, tuck it away in its proper place and lie next to her til she falls back asleep. Its exhausting. I usually don't really fall back asleep anyway.

4. My allergies wake up when my body does. It doesn't matter how tired or awake I am. As soon as my bones get out of bed, they send some kind of Fed Ex to my sinuses (which my sinuses stupidly open) every morning, that its time to kick it into hyperdrive. The next hour or so is spent sneezing, dripping, sniffling, coughing, and blowing. Which I have to do quietly so as not to induce any more nightmares going on in the rooms across the hall.

5. Since I turned 29 (the magic age?) I've felt the need to get up early anyway. Something about being up and waiting for my family when they trudge out of their rooms (at the proper hour, of course!). My intentions include yoga, devotions, and making breakfast (which will also have to be done quietly, as Verity's room shares a wall with the kitchen- oh! cheap housing!). This morning they include blogging, making bids on 1974 Fisher Price Cash Register coins (ours has none!), and prepping letter K for next week's school. I figure I can't start breakfast til 7 anyway, if I don't want them up til 8.

6. I get to wear my new distracting fuschia skull-and-crossbones on teal bathrobe without keeping people awake. Everytime I go to check on Mcclellan at night, when he's still awake (which he always is), he gets completely ramped up by the awesomeness of my robe and it's so soft he just wants me to climb into bed with so he can cuddle me like Michael Bear all night. Either that, or Matt gives me crap about the robe being so ugly that it causes Mcclellan to defend it's awesomeness. Thank you, son.

7. I really need to be getting the kids (and consequently, myself) off to bed earlier. Really. Summer time messes with your head, man.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some wonders to work in these wee hours.

Nad's

2010-07-16T23:48:00.003-05:00

Dear Husband,
Tonight I tried those waxing strips from Target that you suggested the other day.

When I opened them, they smelled like fruit roll-ups and I almost licked one. They were really sticky.

I'm sorry you will have to be paying for $40 waxes still. Perhaps it's because that aesthetician in Colorado Springs was right: My hairs are rooted like Aspen trees.

Love,
Your Hairy Wife.

"Here's a peacock."

2010-07-16T15:30:00.004-05:00

This picture was literally taken 3 minutes ago. They were sharing a bag of nuts and Mcclellan is handing a pecan to Verity.
In all seriousness, "Here's a peacock."

I snapped the shot, and held my breath and laughter to wait for his reaction. He turned around to see me ready to burst open with a laugh and all three of us just lost it.

Four-Word-String

2010-07-16T14:46:00.003-05:00

I've been paying particularly close attention to Verity's vocabulary and language skills. She's just always been typical- right on target with development and such- whereas Mcclellan was off the charts with everything. I thought it was normal for an 18-mo-old to memorize song lyrics and be able to sing them back with perfect articulation. When I read, at Mcclellan's 2-yr well-child that a typically developing 2-yr-old can put together 2- to 3-word combinations, I mused, "What about 2 to 3 paragraphs?!"

Verity put her first three word together just the other day. "No more, mama," which of course sounded like "No. Mo. Ma-ma." I was tickling her and she giggled for me to quit.

Today, it was "Baby Jesus fall down," when she dropped "baby Morning" (aforementioned, of course). "Beebee. Jeje. Fah. Doww."

4:50 pm

2010-07-14T17:19:00.002-05:00

I'm sauteing onions (in butter) and sampling the peach and plum scones I made for a ridiculously early shopping + coffee with a friend tomorrow morning. Dinner- filets and rice-stuffed acorn squash.

In the other room, the children are getting "Morning" (a 1"-long baby Jesus) ready to race in the drag car:
"Are you ready, Verity?"
(guttural) "Aauugh." ("Yeah.")
"OK, baby Morning is ready."
(both brrrrrrooom)

Funny, cause baby Morning was a newborn baby Mcclellan "popped out" about an hour ago. And his name is Morning because he's "yellow like morning." (he's not yellow)

On another note, my kids ate red jello today. Ick.

Day 1, Year 29

2010-07-13T23:01:00.003-05:00

Last year of my 20's. I mentioned tonight that the last year of this decade makes me feel older than thinking about the first year of the next. 30 really is younger than 29.

Why is it that a fun, raucous, late night means late bedtime. For all? Here it is, 11:03 and Mcclellan went to be 30 minutes ago. We only went to T-Rex, Dave and Busters and Sheridan's. No biggie.

I just threw in my third load of laundry after 10pm.

I don't know who even reads this blog anymore. And I don't care. Lookout.

Yes, #3 is well on the way. January. Beyond that, I'm up for suggestions as to the due date and will be sure to pass your sentiments about it along to the baby.

I packed my husband a breakfast for his early departure in the am. A bagel and cream cheese and green grapes. I might throw one of the kids' vanilla milks in there just to make his day.

I just traced my grapes here to see where they came from.

Country of Origin :

Mexico

Region :

Sonora

Farm :

Vinedos Alta SA de CV

Field :

La Cuesta

Variety :

Perlette

Brand Name :

Heaven's Best

Commodity : Grapes

That's cool.

This week is J week, and I totally skipped our lessons for today. Rats. Because they included jellybeans. I may sub Bible lessons tomorrow with Jellybean Math.

Looking at 28, I'm disappointed. For myriad reasons. But I'm inspired by 29. I can't wait for the fall.

I have a ridonculously good-looking husband waiting in bed for me. Goodnight. It is now 11:07.

(throwing down in West Phoenix)

Facebook = Fail

2010-07-08T08:19:00.006-05:00

Without any further explanation about my life or absence, here are pictures for Joanna from THE FIRST ANNUAL SISTER VACAY!

Oh, What a Spring Day!

2010-05-04T13:53:00.005-05:00

My blogging absence is due to the awesomeness of the weather, I promise. I think I may take a planned break from the computer from May until oh, about July when I just start sweating a lot and will appreciate the cold basement. Here's a quick peek (or 17 or something like that) of our morning.

We suited up, readied to go out the door at 9:15 and head to the country east of Lawrence. For what, you might ask? Berry picking! The first of the season! Last year we skipped out on pretty much all picking with Baby Verity. But this year? She was ready.
And wouldn't you know it? I was so excited to get into the field with my chicklets that I totally passed on the camera. Imagine Mcclellan running up and down 200' rows of berry bushes; Verity with half-eaten strawberries dripping down her chin and squished in her hands to share with me; bright sun, cool morning, and the super-nice Wohletz family.

We picked up almost 7 lbs. of huge, bright red berries, or, as Mcclellan called them, "lovely fruits, ripe, and full, and sweet." And that was only because I didn't think I could afford any more and we'd already eaten a good pound or so in the fields! I could've cleaned out that whole field!

And then, on our way back through Eudora, we stopped at the park which is conveniently right off the highway on the way out of town. Great park.

And then, home again to deal with our harvest...

Yes, fresh whipped cream.

This is just one of many awesome spring days we've been having lately. Others include walking around downtown, shopping and chatting at the thrift stores and antique mall, auctions, gardening (endless gardening), mowing, roasting marshmallows after dinner, playing in the sandbox and little pool, riding bikes, picnics in the woods...wow, I didn't think the list would be this long! This is my new favorite season with the kids!

Addendum to Taking Care of the Earth (or, my pestering unfinished thoughts that keep me up at night- not really)

2010-04-28T13:54:00.004-05:00

Ever since I posted about taking care of our earth for Earth week last week (and encouraged you to do so every week), I've been pestered relentlessly about one thing that I forgot to mention and that we do daily.

Use cloth! And the reason why I'm finally breaking down and just posting about it already is this great article, Using Cloth in the Home, from Simple Organic. And while I'm on it, the reason why I love this site? Because it really is SIMPLE organic. Don't be afraid of it; embrace the organic!

I remember when we first made the switch to cloth napkins. I can even really remember why, if it was to cut down on trash or just because I thought they were pretty. At any rate, I remember one of the first times Matt's mom sat down with us at dinner, cloth napkin beside her plate...and got up to get a paper towel! She explained that she didn't want to create more laundry for us, and while I do appreciate her sentiments, trust me, adding a half-dozen napkins to our laundry pile doesn't typically warrant a whole extra load. We end up doing a load once a day anyway. (So, Mary- use the cloth! ;)

The only real paper products we are stuck on are paper towels. The kids and I use handkerchiefs for noses instead of tissue (Matt is far too posh to relinquish his Shea + Aloe Kleenex), and we really only use the paper towels for cleaning the bathrooms and counters and such. I don't know if we could go as far as avoiding toilet paper though. So...TP and PT. Our guilty pleasures.

Anyway, read the article, go find some cheap fabric and make your own. Ours all happened to cone from thrift stores, which of course is an even better way to go- reduce by using what someone else once made! Or, if you're that type, go buy your pretty coordinating seasonal printed napkins from Target and do what you gotta do!

Five Spaces

2010-04-25T13:48:00.005-05:00

These are places that I love, like the way the look, or are just inspiring to me in my home. It's when I'm cleaning and picking stuff up for a house showing that I come across these things and think to myself, "Gosh, I love our home."

1.a. My smaller-than-a-shoebox kitchen. Or as Matt and I call it, "The One Butter." And not as in the creamy bread spread. Rear ends. Only one can occupy the space in the midst of the appliance triangle. Thanksgivings in our kitchen are awesome! Nonetheless, one of my absolute favorite spaces in the house. Lots of magic is made in this kitchen. The kids' artwork hangs endlessly on the fridge. Plus I dig my vintage lemon-yellow chandelier (I can call it a chandelier right? I mean, it has quails and fruit on it, but it qualifies...no?) and Lapland Blue soffit.
1.b. I still consider this the kitchen, so I can include it in my first space. Hey, I make up the rules, here. This is where the kids can access all they need for getting ready to eat- which happens at least 5 times a day around here, so I'm more than happy to put some of that load on them. Verity almost always restocks the table after washing, and Mcclellan almost always sets the table. You see napkins, a bucket of utensils, some rags for messes, mixing bowls (mostly for play), a basket of bibs, pitcher, cups, plates and "bowls," which are just the right size for a toddler portion of cereal or soup or yogurt. I just LOVE to see them at work here.

(Oh, and the basin below for dirty dishes- we're still working on this part!)

2. This is one of my favorite purchases that Matt has ever made. It's full of Skittles and gumballs and we really don't access it too very much. I just love the way it looks. Especially with Mcclellan's birthday crown ever-atop. This is one of those items that I ask myself with each showing (all of the 4 we've had in the past 2 months), "What must these people think of us?"

3. My shelf on the big bookcase. The bottom two shelves are full of things for the children to do during the days; the top, with books and pictures. The very top houses an oil painting my sister did for our family and my (out of reach) knitting. But this shelf: this shelf is mine. (I have a thing for miniatures...and old cameras.)
4.a. Furniture. The rosette came from my mom when we moved in to 1174. The lamp, I think, is from Matt's childhood family. The table- not sure, but I love it's hexagonal shape (and the fact that Matt always calls it "the octagon table!"). This is where Matt or I sit and read during devotions, where I knit or read, and where the children love to rock. The chair came from T-Town's finest (and only) antique mall. My heart skipped a beat when I first saw and almost stopped when I heard the price- it was a good price.
4.b. Oh, the things I made Matt do to bring home this couch for me. Even if he is a little disgruntled that its "not wide enough" for him to sleep on. Sleep on the bed, I say! Sit on the amazing couch. I think this totals like, five times I've blogged about the couch now.
5. And, the place where I get it all done. Homeschooling planning done here. Supplies stored in that cab on the left. Most of my day-to-day communication is done here. This is my station. Which is funny, because all this furniture you see here was purchased (one of our last "new" purchases) for Matt to set up a homebase office for work. For a long time, and until we transformed the "office" into Verity's room, this furniture solely housed a whole lot of Matt's inseparable junk. When it was moved downstairs, I claimed it for my own.
Some of my little things include: my "making" books on the shelf; a picture of me (when I was like, 3) and Mcclellan on tractors at the Phx zoo; a mushroom pincushion that came from my aunt Esther's house in Berkeley that I simply can't find the heart to stick with pins; a quilled flower I got at Biz Baz last year; my "C" cheerleader that Matt's mom let me take home; my vintage 1966 dolly that came from Colby most recently. And I'm in the middle of late-night screenings of P&P (again) while I knit and/or sew.
Okay, so it's really more like eight spaces. You can choose your favorite five. All these things, when I look at them, make me think, "Home."

Bloom Earth Day Swap!

2010-04-22T22:15:00.004-05:00

If you've wandered over here from Bloom for the Earth Day Swap, here's what I have to offer you!
And as my description on the swap details said, its a heating bag, use it for achiness, very handy (we love ours), with removable cover for easy washing (yes, ours has been...um, dirtied in the past). This particular cherry print has never been used. It was made for a Christmas gift and then just never gifted! So, brand new, but handmade by me. Been sitting in the basement for about 5 months now. I'd be happy to gift it to someone who'd like it!

Taking Care

2010-04-20T14:28:00.006-05:00

This week is Earth Week (with Thursday being Earth Day) and typically, I like to spend a little bit of time doing something celebratory. We've been planting and tending our new garden for a few weeks now, and I can't think of what else I'd like to do for the Earth.

I mean, we try to have a conscious lifestyle as it is, and while I'm sure there's always room for improvement, I can't think of one thing to do, out of our ordinary, to be more conscious this week.
Some things you can do for the earth and environment, every day (start adopting them this week!), not just on Earth Day:

1. Plant a garden! Plants are great for the earth and for YOU. When your plants start growing and especially when the fruit/vegs start coming out, consider keeping your garden as organic as possible. Skip out on chemical fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides. Pull weeds by hand. There are a ton of resources out there on organic gardening. Compost. A great way to reduce your trash and build up super-fertile soil for your garden. We take great pride in our compost pile!

2. Buy local and/or organic. I know this can mean more of an "investment" in your purchases. But we invest thousands of dollars in cable TV, flatscreens, and gaming and computer systems. Isn't what you fill your body with a little bit more important? I'd say we're about half and half with what we purchase that's local and organic. We only eat beef and pork that is local (Western KS, local anyway. Beef is family-raised.) I try to stay away from chicken unless its local, which just means we just don't eat it as often. I kinda go by the "dirty dozen" of conventionally produced fruits and vegetables to absolutely stay away from. And we live near a community that has a great farmer's market and co-op where we can find things. All it takes is getting to know people and making friends with farmers and growers. Its possible in every community- even if your only shopping option is Walmart. ;)
3. Live with less...live better. I guess I should clarify that: live with less, live better. We've downsized a bunch since trying to move- we just had so much stuff stashed. I routinely go through our things and purge what we don't use or need and haul it off to the thrift store. Some weeks its just one or two things, sometimes it's a whole boxful. Shop used. I have friends who think it's gross to wear thrift store or garage sale clothes. Matt and I made a pact to only furnish our home with things that are second-hand. There is no need to buy new when there are so many good quality used items out there, just sittin' around.

4. Eat less...eat better. Skip out on things that are full of preservatives, need to be microwaved, or come in packages. Make your own food. I know this sounds crazy, but I know a lot of people who just eat out of boxes, cans and bags. Chop vegetables, mix spices, bake, and don't use the microwave. I know people do not even consider these things and in our age of convenience, these have become special, not routine. Make making your routine, and make less of an impact on the earth.
5. Don't use plastic bags. Plastic never biodegrades. I've come to agree with people who say that grocery stores and restaurants shouldn't even offer plastic bags anymore. Paper is 100% recyclable, and everyone should invest in a good stash of tote bags. We have about a dozen tote bags in varying sizes and uses (some are better for cans, some for bread, some for produce) and if I forget to bring them into the store with me, I just pile my purchases back in the cart and haul them out to the car to bag them. I will take plastic bags only if we are low on trash sacks.

6. R-E-C-Y-C-L-E! I can't stress it enough. My kids understand it and help sort in bins we keep in the garage. We try to take it out regularly, but usually its when its overflowing. Our trash output usually consists of a 3/4 full garbage can (the kind the trucks pick up with their arm thingies) per week. Everything else is recycled or composted.
7. Stay away from plastic! Like I said before: this stuff lasts FOREVER. It's easily broken (especially in the child plaything form!) and when pitched in the trash, remains broken, useless and taking up space in the world (have you read that some 3 million water bottles are thrown out each day?) for all time. Besides, toys of other materials (metal, glass, fabric) are usually of higher quality and last longer. If you do have a plastic toy to throw out (as we've had from time to time), check them for recycle symbols. If they're there, throw 'em in the plastics bin!

8. Understand the chemicals you introduce to your household. Sprays, cleaners, laundry detergents. All have an impact on the environment. We don't use chemicals for our day-to-day cleaning anymore. Almost all our cleaning supplies are vinegar based. I love essential oils too. They have natural cleaning properties and make things smell nice!
9. Some other little things you can do here and there: open your windows when its nice outside; turn off the lights and open the windows; hang dry your clothes in the sun; use leftover water (my kids almost always leave a tad in the bottoms of their cups after meals and snacks) in houseplants; save electricity and sweep with a broom (use your vacuum to suck up the piles if you don't like to bend down with a dustpan!).

10. I figure all these things take effort. On my part. It really is (and has become) a lifestyle. One that is totally worth it. Even though it's work, it's fun work. And it's important work. I figure if doing these things puts a little more wear and tear on my body because of choices I'm making not to wear and tear on the earth...hey, I figure the earth is going to be here a lot longer than I will. It's a truth. Psalm 90:5, 6, y'all. (I dare you to go look it up- another truth.)
It's funny, because I don't consider myself a hippie or an activist by any means, and the only reason I'm sharing all this with the world is precisely because I'm not a hippie or activist; I'm just a regular person who understands the benefits of these things because they make sense. I wholly believe that if every single consuming person were to live like this (or even a little bit like this), we would benefit the ground that we live on so much.

And if that don't sum it up for you, Psalm 8 should:
"What is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. You made him ruler over the works of your hands; you put everything under his feet: all flocks and herds, and the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas. O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!"

The Willys: A post for my dad

2010-04-15T21:36:00.004-05:00

Matt's mom has a Jeep.

Or a Willys, whatever you call it. It's actually a CJ2a. I think.

Anyway, its cool. It runs. It has no brakes.
I still allow my husband to take our children for rides in it.

Matt's great-grandpa bought it back when and it got passed on to Matt's dad. Its just kinda in the family now. Matt or Randall try to get it out as much as possible whenever we're in town.

And now for the "adorable little girl + rough and rugged antique war-vehicle" pictures.

The view, going south down the road by Matt's mom's house.

Exciting, no?

This is Western Kansas in its finest, folks.

Verity can't believe the amount of dust she just inhaled while bouncing down along aforepictured road.

The circus was in town!

2010-04-15T17:20:00.002-05:00

Matt's sister's family and ours descended upon their mom this past week for a family reunion and all the unimaginable antics that four kids under four might conjure up:
Dinner, church, bedtime, playtime...it was all like a four-ring circus. We've got Barnum and Bailey beat!
(After kissing his cousin, Mcclellan announced, "Now we're married!" I explained to him that we live in Kansas, and while that's pretty backwoods, we're not in Arkansas...)

B...B...Learning

2010-04-06T18:04:00.006-05:00

Did you know that I could not find a true word in the thesaurus for "learn?" I mean, the idioms "be taught," "become able," and "be taught" were all listed, but those don't very well count.

Anyway, this week, we're learning about B. Bear with me as I go over our way-cool afternoon.

From Earthways, we made dish gardens. Lovely neighbor Karen gave us shells a while back that have just been hanging out in the flowerbed. They are now our "ponds."

Dirt + grass seed + more dirt (+ some creatures and ponds) = Dish Garden!

No, these do not start with B. But we like to do an Earthways activity every week just because they are so darn fun. And this is our activity from A week, but whatever.
After snack we took the school time outside, because it was like 75 and cloudy and I knew we only had a precious hour or so before the rains (or as Mcclellan was hoping, tornadoes) came through. The clouds were ridiculous.

A book about bananas? A bowl full of buttons? All begin with B. Now I'm doing better.

And, applying your lesson of counting backward and practicing "before" numbers ("What comes before 3?") is just so much more fun when you can turn around teach your bear.
And then promptly give him a ride (okay, so what if it was about 8 times longer than school time?) on your bike.

Brimming with B's, Verity showed her bunny around the cole plants. My new broccoli is doing amazingly.

And then, we retreated inside just in time because it started hailing and galing all over our yard. But it was pretty nice to watch the amazing storms we've had today from the comfort of our huge glass door.

Oh, and this is just a peek at our semi-new semi-reinstated "Help Yourself" table. I actually don't know what it's called. Its just a space where the kids can access everything they need to set themselves up to eat.
Stocked with bowls, cups, plates, utensils, bibs, napkins, placemats, pitcher, and mini-cups (for things like butter, sugar, peanut butter). Oh, and flowers.

Each child has had a job (alternating with the days) of 1.) clearing the dishes away (with that handy little basket you see there under the table), wiping the table off, and depositing kitchen laundry in the laundry basket; or 2.) washing dishes, drying, and replacing them on the table. It has been so much fun.

I think the only real "problem" we've had so far is my own timing issue. We have to pad lunchtime with 30 minutes before and 30 minutes after our normal mealtime, to account for jobs. I think the thwarted attempts I've had at self-help skills like these in the past can be blamed on my own poor planning. Favorite job of all the above mentioned? Dish washing. I'll try to get more pictures of each working as we become more efficient and routinized.

Can I just say, nothing makes my heart do a little backflip more than watching my chubba 18-mo-old run down the hallway to complete her task of doing kitchen laundry? Nothing better for a headstrong child than to give him or her work. (Oh, sorry. That doesn't start with B.)

Easter in Parts: Eggs to Dye for! (I couldn't resist)

2010-04-04T15:00:00.002-05:00

Of course, to make any Easter Sunday celebration complete: dying eggs with good ol' Paas.
We tried to let the children do this themselves as much as possible, but c'mon, they're 1 and 3. They had a decent time. Mcclellan really just wanted to crack the eggs open (hard-boiled, yes...I'm not as brave as my mom was to let us blow out our own eggs) and eat them.
Our Paas must've been duddy, because we didn't get the rich, vibrant colors the box promised. But, nonetheless edible; egg salad, here we come!

Easter in Parts: The Hunt is On!

2010-04-04T14:07:00.003-05:00

All week, we were trying to decide which of the numerous, numerous Easter egg hunts to attend and turn the kids loose to kick, spit and grab their way towards the most eggs possible in one basket.
When it came down to the plain acceptance that no matter where we went, our kids would probably end up getting stepped on, grab only 1 or 2 eggs that some other hunter happened to drop, and probably end up crying over something or other at some point, we decided to just skip all public hunts and just do one in our own front yard.
Besides, the competition between siblings is probably far more intense than between strangers. If that's what you're worried about.
And I, due to past experience and excellent planning this year, filled each egg with no more and no less than one jellybean. I must declare that be it one bean or a brimful of beans, I witnessed no lack of enthusiasm or surprise at the opening of the eggs.
Besides, their baskets were already full of other treats (although significantly less full than previous Easter Sundays). And who really wants heaps of candy piled on their children?
Unless of course, your modus operandi simply leads you to a large pot of candy that you dabble in yourself over the next week. I filled the baskets with nothing I wouldn't want the tots to eat today.
Matt and I have just been dabbling in our Easter dinner dessert (that hasn't even been served yet), rather than candy. More on that to come, later.

Easter in Parts: Baskets of Joy

2010-04-04T13:40:00.002-05:00

We presented the kids with their Easter Surprise Baskets (as we're calling them this year, I guess), promptly after church.

Verity paused the dissecting of the Resurrection eggs to peruse the contents, while Mcclellan was mostly surprised that they made sugar-coated marshmallow chicks!

He was even anticipating the things Verity was pulling out of her basket, as he eyeballs in her direction.

An egg! (among the pastel Easter-themed Matchbox cars we found [yes!], sheets of stickers, chocolate carrots, and the Bunnies, Nibbly and Dippy)

The grass was most fun. And is oxobiodegradable (I have yet to Google that one).

Next up: What, oh what, to fill those Easter baskets with, now that they are empty?

Easter in Parts: The Lookers

2010-04-04T13:31:00.002-05:00

Mr. and Mrs. Smith

And just to make people wonder...

...y'all know what happens with all that kissin' and huggin' and hiney-grabbin'...

...that we're in luuuuv.

Easter in Parts: Sunrise Service

2010-04-04T12:34:00.003-05:00

Many apologies to the grandmas for my lack of attention to detail. You get pictures of the kids in their hoodies. I promise, fancy Easter clothes were underneath.

We dragged (literally) the kids out of bed at 6:15 am to pop them into tights and button-up shirts and drive them to this UH-MAZING church for sunrise service.
Service was great, and my pent-up emotions for the Easter holiday (that were not allowed to be properly vented out over the myriad services of Holy Week) all came out this morning. Did I mention I LOVE Easter?
Aw, and I love those little'uns. See? There. There's a quick peek at Verity's tulip print. More Easter goodness to come after lunch!

Baby Got Book! (a.k.a. "Hang on while I pick myself up off the floor!")

2010-04-03T22:12:00.000-05:00

Oh, it's been a GREAT Friday!

2010-04-02T20:57:00.004-05:00

Why should I expect anything less, after the week we've had?
1.) Both kids: ALLERGIES OUT THE WAZOO.
2.) All playdates/outings/field trips we had planned this week? CANCELLED.
3.) Behavior. Oh, the BEHAVIOR.
4.) Mcclellan's hankie is red paisley; Verity's is white linen.
5.) I have some RAD ab pain that could be a.) appendicitis, b.) ovarian cyst, c.) kidney stone, d.) intestinal cancer...and from there, the mind just reels. I see the dr Tuesday. Groan.
6.) The word of the week was awesome. Several times, Mcclellan misspoke the word awful. I kid you not.

So, why should it come as any surprise that after we drove to town, ate out, and went grocery shopping, we had to abort our trip to 7pm tenebrae (there is so much inherently wrong with attempting to even take small children to "night church", as we call it)?

I haven't been to a Good Friday service for three years.

Sigh. Now that I got that out, moving on.

This was the sight of triumph. Yes, they'd won. We came home. Mcclellan helped Matt rebuild the carburetor on the rototiller. Verity went all destructo on her jewelry box.
We did our own little Good Friday mini-service (even though there was no strepitus involved) and the kids made little crosses of their own with Daddy. It wasn't nearly as satisfying as a service of darkness...
...but seeing the kids starting to grasp the gravity of the situation of Jesus' death, in the context of a home church, our own feeble attempts at instruction, and the hardcore verses of straight-up Scripture...
...made it GREAT.

Changing it up

2010-04-01T22:05:00.003-05:00

Goodbye, winter clothes. These, until today, occupied our coat closet baskets. You know, those ones where we put hats and mittens and scarves and insulated coveralls.

But spring is here!

Now they are full of wide-brimmed hats, birding binoculars, picnic blankets, back-sacks, and sunglasses.

Hello, garden dress!

It's still unfinished, because I wasn't sure if I should add some elastic-waisted pants (matching or contrasting?) or add a second, ruffly layer. At any rate, I thought it turned out way-cute for no pattern and one hour of work time (before those rascals woke up from nap- early).
Dig those sundress ties. This dress is specifically for those mud puddles that Verity seeks out while we tend the garden. Where Mcclellan won't step toe into the dirt, Verity makes up for it.
Oh, goodness (despite some terrific allergies), I love spring.

I'm just being really careful

2010-03-31T14:28:00.005-05:00

So, I've been gone a few days (a week, maybe?). I guess I'm in another blogging funk, finding myself needing to explain my absence. To whom? I'm not even sure. I'm pretty sure only about 5 people actually read this business. But I digress.

I blog because I want to. It's my careful journal- I only write about stuff that I would want others to also read. Even if I wanted to write all my evil thoughts, swear words, and stupidness on a piece of paper with a pencil, I can't be sure my kids wouldn't one day come across it. And I wouldn't want that.

This way, I keep myself accountable.

I've been trying to be really careful with my time as well. I spend quite a bit of time (and even more when I'm on that Facebook junk) on the computer, and well, I find myself just wanting to spend more time with my family. Because I need them. Or they need me. Or both. It travels along that continuum based on the day. Case in point: Mcclellan is sickish today. He needs me. Therefore, I spend less time on here. Or, its 65 beautiful degrees outside and there are lettuce and cabbage and Brussels sprouts plants that need water and protection from bunnies. I need the outside air. Not so much my machine.

It's all basic logic, really.

The past two weeks, the majority of my time on the machine has been spent planning for school. That's right. We're back in swing. Thank goodness I have 4 more years until I need to start documenting all their school work! I'm thinking of adopting some kind of yearly routine like Cocoa and her eight li'l chitlins do. I'm a victim to the public school model since that's what I was raised on: school August through May, summers off. Nah. Not only have I long believed that system is flawed, it's just not fun. The beautiful thing about homeschooling is I don't have to follow anyone else's model. It's not the reason we homeschool, but just a nice little reinforcer.

Mcclellan and Verity are loving everything "a" this week. We've been talking about the short and long sounds of the letter, and integrating all sorts of a-a-activities into our week - ants, astronauts, apples, abacuses (holy moly- great for visual math for a 3-year-old!), animals, oooh, and tomorrow, Africa. And with this being Holy Week, we've been doing all sorts of activities there too. We made resurrection rolls today, and loved every slightly-sinful bit of them (I mean, they are made with fridge crescent rolls- c'mon now!). Mcclellan really understood the concepts behind them.

I could go on and ramble a bit about this and that and how amazing it all is. My point is, I'm capitalizing. I've been noticing Mcclellan's inquisitiveness growing by leaps and bounds. Verity's too. He can recall school stuff we did from like, 8 months ago (I'm talking, like, before Verity dropped her morning nap and robbed him of his morning school time with Mom). To benefit both of them and fan their fire of learning, how can I not make these decisions to be more purposeful and proactive?

So, sorry, if I slack on you a little bit. You're nothing but a sacrifice I'm making for my kids. I know, I know. It's just a blog. And this place touches on the random pictorial ramblings of our lives to the deepest, inmost musings of my soul. (Although, the latter seem to be heavily lacking comparatively!) I don't want to define this blog as a "homeschool blog" or a "parenting blog" or an "inmost musings blog." It's just my blog. No big deal.

A One Word Photo Essay

2010-03-24T14:18:00.004-05:00

Curious

Raisins

Pizzas

Fairness

Planning

Thankful

50 Things: About Me Series

2010-03-23T14:53:00.004-05:00

1) I love change.
2) I think winter is only to help you appreciate the spring. (you can take that literally, or metaphorically; both are true)

3) I love to collect friends. But only in the most loyal, noble sense.

4) I have an uncanny desire to please people. (see #3)

5) Despite #4, I purposefully seek out the eclectic and unconventional.

6) I am a vegetarian who just likes the taste of meat...and eats it, shamelessly. (1 Corinthians 10:23-33)

7) I want 3 kids, but Matt says that if I have 3, then I'm going to want 4.

8) I am a homeschooling mom.

9) I sold homeschooling curriculum to thousands of families for 3 years.

10) I love community events.

11) I'm a morning person.

12) I don't watch television. (except, guiltily, while staying in hotels- then I overdose)

13) I've only been out of the country to Mexico.

14) I've been on a mission trip.

15) I broke my back and severed my finger when I was 15.

16) I don't drink milk.

17) I remember everything- names, faces, my childhood, details. I ran into an old classmate from 1st grade...in a college sophomore class, and instantly recognized him. He thought I was crazy.

18) I bite my nails relentlessly. Like, to the point where I go days where I can't use a certain finger or two.

19) I believe anything can be cleaned with vinegar and tea tree oil.

20) I like the number 22.

21) I am 50% Finnish. When I was a kid, I always wished that my dad was also 100% Finnish so he wouldn't have "tainted" my blood.

22) I hated my name when I was a kid. I don't hate it now.

23) I like making things (people included).

24) I used to read and listen to music a lot.

25) I now read a lot of How Do Dinosaurs Eat Their Food? and listen to a lot of Recess Monkey.

26) I got engaged on the same day of my grandma's funeral- Valentine's Day. (talk about mixed emotions)

27) My birthday is July 12

28) I hated my birthday when I was a kid, because it was inevitably on one of the hottest days of the year

29) I lived in Mesa, AZ for 14 years, and Tempe, AZ for 6.

30) I was born in a naval hospital in Oakland, CA

31) My sister is, and always will be, my best friend.

32) I only wear really expensive, good-to-your-feet shoes

33) I have a pact with my husband to never buy new furniture or home furnishings again

34) The majority of my...everything...comes from thrift/consignment/antique stores

35) I drive a Chevy Venture, even if my son tells you I drive a Chevy Nova.

36) I used to speak Spanish so well that I'd dream in Spanish.

37) I play the guitar...or at least I did back when I read and listened to music.

38) My first date with my husband was to see the movie Amelie.

39) I think my kids are the cat's meow.

40) I grew up Lutheran. Hard-core Lutheran.

41) I would be just fine with dying before the age of 70

42) I prefer vegetables to fruits

43) I feel more like a Kansan than I ever did as an Zonie.

44) I love live performing arts (opera, plays, the symphony, concerts) and was treated to many as a child.

45) I encourage my husband to take me to the opera once a year.

46) I dig painted toenails and lip gloss.

47) Pizza, Indian food, and sushi all come in at a three-way tie.

48) I decided when I was about 10, that I would love broccoli because I knew the president (at the time, George H.W. Bush) hated it. I made this decision at Sammy Wo's in San Francisco.

49) Our wedding colors were pink and green, and someone told me green is a bad-luck color for a wedding.

50) I think my husband is the bee's knees.

Children of Light

2010-03-22T20:58:00.003-05:00

The following are evidence that my children are severely sun-deprived. We want to go outside!

(Squinting at the sunny window...)

Sunning on all sides.

"This is the best smile you're gonna get from me in this sun, Ma."

And tonight, we played with flashlights in the dark. Way cool.

"Not in your eyes, Verity!"

Matt and I were thoroughly impressed with the outcome of this one.

Sainting our little angel with a halo.

Never would I have dreamed that my son would request to play in the dark. Those of you know my son, understand. But flashlights always make things more fun anyway.

Final Romp!

2010-03-22T20:47:00.003-05:00

Matt created a custom-built snow fort for Mcclellan yesterday. It was Mcclellan's first. He was very proud. And it was a great way to finish up (what we hope is) the last snow.

And then, the best part? Destroying the whole thing.

Matt says, "You know, that if you want to tear it down, I'm not going to build you another one today."

Mcclellan, "Why not?"

I hope this the last pile of snow-soaked clothes I get to see for a while....

Happy...Spring?

2010-03-20T10:29:00.007-05:00

I don't remember a grayer snow day. Of course, today is the first day of Spring so that may have something to do with my pessimism.

Those poor spring birds that just returned. I watch the robins hopping around on the concrete listening for worms and shed a little tear.
Not really.

But Mcclellan and Verity were really excited to get all suited up and play in the snow.

"It's cold!"

Then Matt decided to dare me, and make it about my Finnish heritage, as to whether or not I could run outside, barefoot, and de-ice the birdfeeder.

I'm Finnish, alright. And don't back down from a dare.

Then, Matt accepted my similar challenge, except told me he could walk out there and do it.

He was feeling the hurt after he came back inside.

Then, he withdrew with his cup of coffee and looked slightly traumatized by the whole incident.

He is not Finnish.

Name that bird. A friend told me what these were the other day and I'm too lazy to go look them up. What are they?

A sad, puffy robin.

And what's this guy? Shaped like a cardinal, orange beak, brown body. He even has the plumage on top.

Yeah, Happy Spring everyone. Enjoy your flowers and grass. And don't be too jealous of our copious amounts of precipitation.

Say it ain't so!

2010-03-19T21:02:00.003-05:00

So, its mid-March, and that pesky groundhog? Well he might just have been right.

While the predicted "six more weeks of winter" is usually an accurate, if not unwelcome one, I was hoping I could just snub my nose at the giant Punxsutawney rodent when our flowers started peeking out and the ground thawed. We enjoyed 60 whole degrees yesterday as we got our yard and garden ready.

It was just a sad tease. We're supposed to get 6-8" of snow and the low for tomorrow night is in the 20's! Whaa...??

We brought in our early garden plants (cabbage, lettuce, sprouts), to keep them safe from the freeze, but I must leave this heartfelt notes for the ones left outside, who just thought it was their time to appear already:
My dear Crocuses and Daffodils, and oh, I cannot forget you too, Pink Ladies,
Please, just rest quietly beneath a nice, thick blanket of snow for a few days before you burst into full Springhood. After all, Vernal Equinox is tomorrow. Surely that has some credence over the forecast? I hope for you, because you are oh-so-beautiful.
Love, Me

Three Cool Things

2010-03-19T15:26:00.003-05:00

1. This kid is huge. Seriously? When did that happen. I mean his legs are so long, they don't even fit in the frame! But...dig that baby face.
2. I am mere weeks away from having a brand new tooth. The almost-three year ordeal is coming to a close. For those of you who didn't realize this: yes, I am a hillbilly and sport only 27 teeth. I bet you didn't know they make tooth prostheses. They do. And my mouth has borne the havoc of one for years now.
3. And to unburn that previous image from your eyeballs, feast them upon this cherubic sleeping pile of baby chub.
I think her sleeping arrangements are just the cat's meow. I'm not saying that these are without challenges (they aren't), but it has been so nice to keep her out of a crib.
And she sleeps so much better than Mcclellan ever has. Or probably ever will.
Which is exactly why I'm even able to take this picture.

Readying the Plot

2010-03-18T20:05:00.003-05:00

This afternoon, since it was so stinkin' beautiful and we're supposed to get SNOW (!?) on Saturday, we all hit the yards to fertilize the grass and get our garden spot ready. Thus far: cabbage, lettuce, Brussels sprouts.

I manned the compost work while Matt trudged the yards spreading fertilizer. And he wasn't sure I could haul a full wheelbarrowful of dirt. I managed.
Verity got into a minor tussle with the rototiller, and I had to step back into Mommy-mode for just a moment...
But, seeing as she was just fine, she was content to just sit and watch Daddy till.
Mcclellan on the other hand? Not a green thumb on his body. On his underpants, however? Yes, that'd be Lightning McQueen peeking out at you. Here he is, gassing up his motorcycle.
Then Verity wanted to get all in the action, following Matt from behind as he worked up the rows.
And how does a Mama get it all done? Babies love free wheelbarrow rides back, after dumping a load of compost off.

And now...

2010-03-18T09:59:00.002-05:00

...we move into March Madness! Mcclellan and Verity show their support. I'm teaching them to be little Jayhawks. Mcclellan has been running around here squawking, "Rock! Chalk!"

But, if you're my husband, the above means they just defeathered a Jayhawk and are rooting for those darned Wildcats. Mcclellan's just excited to be able to watch as much basketball as his little heart desires online.

So there you go; I'm off to attempt to fill out a bracket...as if I know anything about any of the other teams.

"Is it still St. Patrick's Day?"

2010-03-18T09:22:00.005-05:00

"No, not anymore."

"Well, do I still have to wear green?"

"No, I won't pinch you anymore."

(My husband, thinking he was being all slick and sly, decided to shun the color green, and just don a green bracelet to keep him safe from pinches.)

Let the festivities begin! With an appetizer of ales and stouts!

How does a cup of milk suit you, Verity?

The main course: corned beef and cabbage, soda bread...

...steamed veggies + cheddar stout fondue.

Pig out! This would be the girls' table. Girl count: 8

Awww, one adorable Zoe girl!

And the boys count? 4

After the damage was done...

Action!

Everyone embarked on a leprechaun hunt, which ended here.
Everyone divides the spoils of the pot of gold.

"Please, Mr. Paul. Please, can I have my chocolate coin yet?"

And then, after everyone left, Matt and Mcclellan cleaned up all the leprechaun footprints. Or, as Matt convinced Mcclellan, "leprechaun poop." Thanks, hon.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!...yesterday.

Random Pretty

2010-03-16T21:40:00.002-05:00

Dinner last night: Falafel, veggies (which Mcclellan downed), cucumber sauce, hummus, pita.My new chair setup. It's old and reeeaally comfortable.

Verity's toes.
(This was the first real "mother-daughter" appointment we've had. I mean, the girl loves lip gloss, shoes and dressing up; why wouldn't she sit in my lap, enamored of her pink newly-polished toes? )

Shamrock garland.

I may or may not give this away as the prize to the winner who finds the leprechaun at our St. Patrick's Day soiree tomorrow night.

Bananas Foster French Toast

2010-03-14T14:19:00.003-05:00

This is one of our delicacies. A rare Smith family breakfast treat, if you will. Rare and delicate and deeeelicious! Matt came across Emeril's recipe on Good Morning America the mothers' day after Mcclellan was born and made it for me for breakfast. We've had it, oh, maybe a half dozen times since.
Except I got the rum raisins only that first time. Something about rum-soaked dried fruit that makes us feel a little SRS-y about feeding them to our kids.

So we stick with sugarized bananas and we're okay with that. And a side of sausage. Because fried eggy toast and buttered bananas just aren't enough. Oh; plus we add that dollop or two of fresh whipped cream.
Matt came across Wheatfields on brioche (cinnamon-swirl brioche!) day last week and scored a loaf. Yes, we ate the whole loaf that morning.
See why we don't (nay, shouldn't) eat it that often?

The Random Things...

2010-03-12T16:44:00.002-06:00

I asked Verity if she was sewing. She nodded.
Then I asked if she was sewing her...ball.
She nodded again.

"When I was very young, I used to live in...in...San Francisco."

"Oh, really? What did you do in San Francisco?"

"I...I used to teach all the daddies...yoga!"

"You did?"

"Yeah, and they all learned to do...underdog! That's my favorite one."

Top Ten Things Today

2010-03-08T14:42:00.002-06:00

1. It is officially spring. Even though the forecast/weather outside is humid and cool, it is nowhere the cold that this winter has been. Plus we have crocuses in our front flower bed! I hope that by posting this, it doesn't doom us for a mid-March snow...

2. I love friends. We spent a great morning with some, and plan to spend tomorrow morning with more. Oh, I love how our friends take pity on us when Matt's out of town!

3. My house is clean. Thanks to my husband who stayed home to clean up after we left for aforementioned friends' house...just in case someone wants to claim the first showing of our house.

4. I'm planning a smashing party for St. Patrick's Day. Can't wait.

5. I have a big package sticking out of my mailbox and rather than rush outdoors and potentially wake up the nappers, I'm longingly gazing out the window and delaying the gratification. I'm pretty sure it's this book.

6. I'm planning to help a friend plant her first vegetable garden. Since I won't be growing one (again) this year (due to the never-ending moving situation), I'm delighted to work on one with her! I told her we should garden for salsa- tomatoes, peppers, jalapenos, garlic, onions.

7. I'm looking at my titles of books and deciding which one to read, alternating with knitting this dishcloth, tonight. The Creative Family...I Love Dirt...The Crafter's Companion...The Gentle Art of Domesticity...The Language of Yoga...

8. I ordered this for my yoga goodies...with my most recent PAYCHECK!! (The color I chose: Water, naturally.)

9. I have an awesome sister with whom I am planning the First Annual Sister Getaway, 2010. This year's destination: Phoenix, AZ. Oh yeah, we're all about exotic. There may be a day-trip to a Sedona spa scheduled in there. But Joanna says there will be bar-hopping involved. Nothing says "No Kids" to a tired mama (who needs a getaway) like bar-hopping. This will be my first getaway since having two kids. This was my last.

10. Wheeew! Shrieking baby upstairs means I get to check the mail now!

Precocious?

2010-03-04T20:56:00.003-06:00

(The inspiration for this post is Winnie-the-Pooh.)As you know, we haven't a TV. OK, I always feel I must clarify that shocking statement; we have a TV, but no broadcasting (or hi-def, whatever it is now) piped in. Just a DVD player attached. That's how we watch Mary Poppins. I watch my 2 or 3 shows online (because really, how can one live without Lost?).

At any rate, Mcclellan has never watched Winnie-the-Pooh. In fact, he hasn't even read many books regarding Pooh. Mostly because, as a child, I always thought WtP was annoying. As an adult, I never understood why so many adults had such an infatuation with him. So I've shunned WtP. I just don't appreciate the gimmicky, cartoony (or CGA, whatever it is these days) images of him.

While reading a blog the other day, I came across the notion of the original WtP series written by (not based on the writings of) A.A. Milne, himself. I've always loved the classic Pooh illustrations (that are now so delicately exploited by Target), and, understanding that the classic Pooh stories might be in the same vein as Beatrix Potter's works, or even classic fairy tales, I decided to reserve a copy of Winnie-the-Pooh.

I was smitten. I read through most of it on my own during nap the other day, and thought to myself, "My kid is just waaay not ready for this yet." I mean, the stories about stories are written (and to be read) in first, third, and dare I say, second person narrative views? Way too heavy for a three-year-old, especially since the pages are lacking in much illustration (as beautiful as the sketches alone are).

So I was concerned when Mcclellan found it (recognizing WtP and Piglet and such upon the cover) and asked me to read it as a bedtime story tonight. After reading fluffy titles like How do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight and Max and Ruby's Bunny Money, I explained that if he didn't like this story (WtP), we'd just read his new birthday book about how things go (forget the fact that my kid has been talking about forces and gravity since being introduced to). Thank you, Ruth for that one. No really, thank you. Mcclellan tells us now that we, in fact, cannot walk on the ceiling because of such a thing as gravity.

Goodness, this kid is going to be fun to homeschool.

He loved it. Loved Winnie-ther-Pooh. It was as if Mcclellan was Christopher Robin himself, and he was able to accept all narrative views in full understanding of voice and who was who in the story within the story.

I told Matt we better watch out for this one. Mcclellan's precociousness, combined with easy frustration and total perfectionism, is going to make for one tough cookie. See, even I am not so original, as to use phrases like tough cookie.

A lady asked me, at the thrift store yesterday, if he lives up to his red hair? Not knowing what she was asking (knowing full well what she was asking), I asked what she meant. She said (I kid you not), "Well, you know, if he's really...(whispering) naughty." Excuse me? Not only did she impose a stereotype on my child, blatantly, did she really just ask a stranger, who happens to be a mother, with said child in tow, if said child is a bad seed?! "Nope!" I cheerily answered. "In fact, he's been nothing but an absolute pleasure to raise as my child. Thanks for asking!" were about the exact words I quipped back.

Because he has been. And he is. An absolute joy. If not a little bit of a tough cookie.

Wakings

2010-03-04T13:52:00.003-06:00

Regarding sleep, both my kids are wakers. Always have been. Probably always will be. I'm sure it has something to do with their unwavering desire for Mommy and/or Daddy to be close to them, at all times, and knowing that we'll come. We always do. Can't says I blame them.

With Mcclellan, I was never able (and still am not) to watch him sleep. Its like he can feel my eyes burning into him, and if he is sleeping, he'll wake. If he's falling asleep, he'll stare. So I play dead a lot with him. For naps, I lie on the floor, in a pile of blankets, "sleeping," until he drifts off on his own. Then I'll tiptoe out.

Verity, on the other hand, she loves to be "put" to sleep. This includes rocking, holding, lying next to her in bed (sometimes on top of her), with a bottle of water tucked under one arm, and Dottie Dollie under the other.

Mcclellan rarely wakes anymore. Unless its that rogue nightmare or a midnight potty incident. Then he's easily pacified by Blue Blanks, a trip to the potty, and a few kisses and nosers, and he's back off.

Verity just gets me. When she calls out or fusses, I'm in there like white on rice. I instinctively almost always know where she is in bed by the sound of her breathing in relation to her room, since I'm almost always unable to see in the dark. (Except that one time I couldn't find her in bed and had to look/feel around for her, only to discover her on the floor, under her curtains, on top of the vent- I guess it was cold that night.) I sidle up next to her, on top of her bodysize pillow that serves as a guardrail, and grope around for her little twitching, wriggling limbs. I tell her, "Mama's here," and hear her breath return to its even, whistly snore and I still her body and she falls right back to sleep. I can never see her, but I smell her fragrance, hear her breathing, feel her warmth and know right when she's back to sleep so I can sneak out again.

Its this entire exchange that allows me to almost immediately detect if something is wrong. If she's too cold. If her diaper is just so full that it's gotten tight around the thighs and necessitates a midnight change. If she's sick or is having trouble breathing (aka snoring). And lately I can tell when she's afraid. Whether its of the dark, or a bad dream, or something that just looks weird in her dark room, I can tell when she just needs comfort, because, as I'm lying next to her, she'll turn her little body toward mine and stretch out her arms and wrap them around my shoulders as we lie together. Sometimes she'll even worm an arm up underneath my shoulder so she really can't let go.

Then she'll fall asleep like that. And sometimes I just lie there with her, and let her hold me, even though I know she's gone back to sleep and doesn't even need me anymore.
Can you see why that girl's under my skin?

Lovely Package Exchange, 2010!

2010-03-01T13:46:00.004-06:00

So, I'd only just read about the LPE like, yesterday. And I spent some time looking around for easy craft swaps online, only to give up due to the complexity (aka, rules and stipulations) that many swaps endue.

And then, at the top of my daily blogroll today, read LPE2010! Yes! I read all the rules and stipulations and decided to join in this year! I am SO excited. I won't go into all the, eh-hem, complexity of the matter, but essentially you are paired with one other blogger/crafter/cool-person to swap a lovely package with. And let me tell you, some of those packages are LOVE-LY! I can't wait to get in on the fun.

If you're interested too, you should ABSOLUTELY sign up. It's (relatively) easy, and who knows? I might even end up being your swap partner! ;)

Catching up

2010-02-28T14:25:00.004-06:00

I've been absent. Blah. What with the passing of our baby dog, the traveling and rescheduling of our lives, remodeling/cleaning/listing of the homefront (again), adventures in church-hopping, and a just a general sense of winteryness, I haven't felt much like blogging.

More like watching The Jungle Book. And Mary Poppins. And Horton Hears a Who.
At any rate. I'm back. Maybe. At least for today. I'm getting caught up on others' blogs (see the delectable list at the side) and making some purchases for the homeschooling (slightly more formal than nonexistent) that is intended to ensue this spring.
Oh, spring! How we long for you! Crocus buds and daffodil leaves were peeking through this morning, as the snow is melting and we bundled out the door for church. And Home Depot this morning smelled of hyacinths and orchids- yes, indoor plants, but nonetheless, springy-smelling. I just purchased some Waldorf-centric seasonal books for preschooling here at home. And my goodness! We need some serious socialization up in these parts!
We thought we'd received the Passover of the Angel of Germs, but alas, our bodies were still the recipients of various germs and viruses anyway. So while our friends were all sick a month ago and we were unable to visit them, now we languish under the oppressive thumb of bronchitis. This is definitely winter. And though March 1 is tomorrow, we have forecasts of 2-3 more snows yet.
But for news round these parts, Matt has almost entirely finished the new den and laundry room/basement bathroom. It looks uh-mazing. I am so proud of the meticulous, yet efficient work he does. Mcclellan turned 3. What? When did my child become a preschooler? Verity is potty-training and Mcclellan picked out her "pretty bottom underwears" that she wears around the house now. For the most part, she's only in diapers at night. And in public. She still can't sign or say "potty," so we take that precaution. The kids are again in separate rooms, and by golly, that just seems like a much better use of space. Verity even scored her own toy net!
And now, without further ado, I must return to this life. Since beginning this post even, believe it or not, Verity learned to sign potty. That's what I'm talkin' about. Maybe now we can start braving potty-training, public style...

Stories about Maggie

2010-02-11T14:47:00.002-06:00

Dear Son,
Dear Daughter,
February 11, 2010

Today, your daddy and I made a very hard decision. We had to choose to put Maggie to sleep. This means that she died today. She was very sick and we couldn't fix her. We wanted to so, so badly and this is why we are very sad today. Maggie was such a sweet, good, kind, well-mannered dog. We have lots of stories about her. We did have her with us for almost 7 years, so we can tell you lots of great stories about her. We will. Because we loved her so. We're very sorry to have taken away our pet from our family, but we had to make this hard decision for her, not for us. It would be wrong to keep her, sick as she was, on this earth any longer. We just hope that one day we will indeed see her again when all is made new again and every tear is wiped away. All the crying and sadness that happened today; it will be like it never even happened. But for now, today was a very hard day. And we tried very hard to be honest with you without making you sad too. One day, we hope you will remember Maggie and we hope you will understand. And, oh, the stories will go on and on. Don't worry about that.

Love,
Mommy and Daddy

Being Careful

2010-02-07T14:06:00.002-06:00

So, I came across this story on KLOVE the other day: MyOneWord. In a nutshell, you choose one word to define 2010 by. A word that is like a filter through which you look at...everything. Instead of a resolution (which we all know never comes to fruition), choose one word that you will adhere to. Make your mantra.

This was created by a church (in TX, I think? My bad. NC.) with the idea that your word would be backed by Scripture, accountability with family and friends, and prayer. At least that's kind of what I understood it to be. And maybe it was my own conception, but a Bible verse to go with your word.

The idea is to choose your word carefully. It will be something that you call upon to help you through anything, how to address a situation, how to make decisions, how to view life. Of course people calling in to the show named words like "love," and "hope," and "focus." All good words. But made me decide to choose a word for myself that was very distinctive, individual and still able to be linked to a verse from my concordance.

About a week ago, I chose my word. Careful.

I thought about using focus and purpose as well, because well, those are just areas in my life that are lacking sometimes and I need divine help with them. I considered all my plans (thought about that as a word too) and projects, goals and hopes for the year. The crafts, schooling, housework, baking, cooking; being a good wife, friend, mother, sister, daughter. And I realized that reason I feel so unfocused and without purpose sometimes in my ventures is because I'm careless. I start a million things at once without any real desire to even finish them. I enjoy having 100 projects on a list rather than the completion of even one thing. I've had a blanket on the needles for almost 2 years now. They're little things, sure. But I need to work on all things with care if I'm going to also apply myself to the big things.

So my word is the opposite of careless. Care-full. I consulted the Bible and was happy to see there are myriad verses containing careful. Here is the one I chose:

It comes from the 2-chapter book of Haggai, which I thought was fabulous since I'd never really considered Haggai before,
"Now this is what the LORD Almighty says: 'Give careful thought to your ways. You have planted much, but have harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it.' This is what the LORD Almighty says: 'Give careful thought to your ways.'"
Haggai 1:5-7

I thought this was a great verse in itself, but its very applicable when taken in context of the whole book. The Lord is about to stir up his people to build him a new temple. He asks them to take care in what they do and how they do it. He also promises them new abundance and peace and blessings. The people turn to the Lord and he blesses them. In that same way, I want to be careful. To turn to the Lord in all my aspirations. To have the objective to first bring him glory. Not myself or my children or my household. Him. To work and to have goals and harvests is a good thing. But not until it is consecrated to God, will those works and harvests be retained. Not until then, will it become a blessing.

I intend to work, hard, to bring glory to God and by his promises, bring blessings to myself and my family this year of 2010. Careful.

Another Random Night while Daddy is Away

2010-02-03T17:12:00.002-06:00

The naked chef helped me make tonight's specialty...

(He wasn't really naked. There were underpants under there.)

The best meatballs ev'ah!

This one made good on her #1's this afternoon. Shocking!

And this evening's agenda? The Music Man after supper. Ahhh, yes.
Later bedtimes = lots of fun!

Yeah, Pizza Night!

2010-02-02T22:29:00.005-06:00

Because every night should be pizza night. I've tried to do pizza night only on Saturdays. Or Tuesdays. Or whatever day. But the truth is, that any day is, and should be, pizza night. Like tonight. And with Daddy out of town, we really needed pizza night.

Now my kids love pizza as much as I do. And I've trained them on black olives so much that its just as unquestioningly requisite as pepperoni. Tonight's specialty? Sharp cheddar in place of mozzarella. Green chiles mixed in with the sauce.

Mcclellan ate about more black olives than he allowed himself to top the pie with. Verity just wanted to bathe herself in the sauce and cheese. Which is why she is fruitlessly groping for "muh, muh-muh!" as she puts it.

We watched the pizza "breathe," the whole 11 minutes it took to bake.(Verity dresses herself, in case you missed that. I was concerned about the circulation of her left arm the entire time, but for those of you who know Verity, she is not to be reckoned with when it comes to her self-dressing escapades.)

"Muh! Muh! Muh! (complete with signs for emphasis)"

The finished product. Forgive if it appears slightly orange. It was really orange. That sharp was thuhhhh best!

Prepping for a Good Nap

2010-01-22T21:15:00.002-06:00

We have these resident squirrels. We just refilled our bird feeders with sunflower seed and peanuts and they're back. We've seen nary a bird, but the squirrels are much obliged. We watch them quite a bit. (Even though here, Mcclellan was way more interested in watching my auto-timer.)

There is one. Eating almonds and hazelnuts I ran out for them this morning.

And another, chowing down on Matt's homemade squirrel feeder full o' corn.

Then the munchkins got their own lunch. These two piggied out on leftover chili.

Something about beans + meat + red sauce that makes you a little bit drowsy.

They slept very well this afternoon.

Good Day in Parts: Mopping

2010-01-19T15:04:00.006-06:00

I kid you not, when I say, that mopping day has got to be one of my kids' favorite days.

It involves donning socks (to keep from slipping and to help dry the floor in the meantime), moving all the furniture out of the kitchen,
and the children each get a sponge while I wield the mop.

And not only the floor gets cleaned.
The dishwasher, the fridge, and the oven. Sometimes even the chairs.

Verity learns important lessons in wringing. By this time, I've finished my part, sit back and watch, mop readied to soak up any extraneous water (there is plenty).

Afterward, we're all wet and happy, and the floor is sparkly and smells like tea tree oil.
(And our water is disgusting.)

I like to roll with my new kicks. (Thanks, Mom.)
I've been wearing these babies all day, every day.

Goodness, its fun.

Good Day in Parts: Tea Party

2010-01-19T14:53:00.003-06:00

Nothing like a post-nap tea. For the children, grapefruit green tea + honey. Me: Le Palais des Thes. I don't share that stuff. We listened to the Mozart opera overtures.

The children each invited one guest. The bears were served first.

The children ate crumpets.

Mcclellan and guest, Cake Bear.

Verity and guest, Q.B. Bear.

No one seemed to take notice that I sat alone...

Manners were atrocious.
One wore no pants.
Another insisted on shoving crumpets in as fast as they might go.
Flatulation occurred. Often.

But the guests enjoyed the party, nonetheless.
They weren't for lack of hospitality.

Good Day in Parts: T.A.

2010-01-19T09:04:00.003-06:00

Mcclellan makes such a lovely assistant. We are getting lots of use out of the flannel board Matt made for us last week. Verity is doing some farm animal-related activities this week.

"Baa-Baa Black (or grey or white...) Sheep"

"To Market, To Market...To Buy a Blue Pig"

Don't worry...there's a happy ending in there.

2010-01-18T20:06:00.005-06:00

We have a pretty strict policy in this household about eating what you have for dinner before you can have any dessert. Even if that means that everyone else but you gets dessert. You must either clean your plate, take 3 more bites, or just eat that one piece of broccoli. Mcclellan usually gets the "3 more bites" lecture, whereas Verity gets the "eat one piece" of green vegetables. You should see that girl's plate when she's had what she prefers: all greens left behind.

Tonight it was one bean. One bean was all that I asked of her!

Oh! It was so sad! I almost regretted taking the video and felt a smidgen of guilt for even thinking that I should require one veggie for her!

But then, do you know what happened? After the video was taken, I let her cry and laid her fork with the bean in front of her. Mcclellan calmly got down, walked over to her, picked up the fork and held it to her mouth. I tried not to draw attention to the fact that I was watching them. She opened her mouth and took it, chewed and swallowed. The whole room burst into praise for Verity's eating-of-the-bean and Mcclellan's good big-brotherness. Mcclellan was so proud of Verity for eating the bean and of himself for being the one who "got her to eat it."

Needless to say, Verity was gifted with a (small) brownie (she did eat only one bean) promptly to emphasize the cause and effect notion, and to just make her happy.

We do so love making our kids happy.("In your face, Mama! Here I am: eating a brownie!")

How to have a super morning in 3 easy steps...

2010-01-18T10:43:00.002-06:00

When cereal and milk just won't cut it again, and you find yourself up early and feeling creative, consider the following guidelines.

1. Procure a good muffin recipe.

2. Spin some good tunes.

3. Recruit a good team to assist.

Oh-so-yummy and productive to boot!

Think Happy Thoughts

2010-01-07T20:22:00.004-06:00

So I've always been a pessimistic person of sorts. And by pessimistic, I do not mean negative. I know many-a negative person. They are just no fun to be around.

When I mean pessimistic, I mean that I imagine every possible thing that could go wrong for any person that I love (myself included) in any possible situation. My point is, when you are expecting little (to nothing), then when something good does happen, you will be pleasantly surprised. Living in the vice versa is just no fun for me. Now while I may not be necessarily verbose about this notion, I am constantly pondering all that is "half empty." I've trained myself very hard to not be an overbearing pessimist. Or...a negative person.

There is nothing wrong with looking at the glass as half empty. It is half empty. It is also half full. Both schools of thought are equally right and equally wrong. I won't go into too much of an in-depth essay on the rights and wrongs of pessimism vs. optimism. My post here is to highlight my counterpart. My optimists.

Now, just as negative people are no fun to be around, so goes the same for a jolly, overexuberant person. We're talking perma-smile, never uses a low tone of voice, bouncy, flouncy, pouncy, trouncy, full of fun, fun, fun! persons. I've known these types of people. And been friends with them. But you can only take so much. Like the negatives.

But those optimists, jolly or not, do have a good point. I realized this point last night during our Epiphany party after all our guests cancelled their RSVP due to the snowy, blizzardy, freakin' cold weather. I didn't blame them. After all, in my pessimistic, organizational, forward-thinking character, I called all our friends the day before and told them all the party was tentatively cancelled anyway due to the forecast. But everyone was still invited because we'd still be eating good food and opening presents and it was really up to them if they wanted to drive. But I wouldn't be offended. Pessimists are rarely offended. Remember? We don't expect much.

The only friends who did make it were the Blakes, namely, Judd and Brenda and their 3 chitlins. These 5, in their family van, traversed from KC (by far the longest distance from our place), to still make it to our party. And the Smiths and the Blakes partied it up. But it was Brenda's attitude that made me double-take. "Oh, well I love driving in this kind of weather," she remarked. "Well, yeah, but you're from western Kansas," I quipped. In all sincerity, she turned and told me that, no, she really did love to drive in the snow and sleet and ice and be a part of such weather wonderment.

And then, today, when I talked to her this morning to see how their drive home was, she replied, "It was blizzarding pretty good, but we got to see some amazing sights." Me? Driving home with 3 kids under 4, in a van, in weather? = not an optimistic response at all. I would be a nagging, anxious mess, wrought with thoughts about how tiny our children's caskets would be (I'm not kidding here people, this goes deep).

So tonight, I decided I will purpose myself to look at things in a tad-bit more of an optimistic light. I can't change my pessimism, nor do I want to. But that doesn't mean I can't maybe infuse a few positive thoughts in there. Steep myself in the bubbly goo that is happy thoughts.

Right after I swore this oath, I prepared to enter my icicle of a body into the steamy, scalding shower, when I thought, I should turn the hot water to cold! I would save on the heating bill and I could take in all the sights and sounds of that which is experiencing a cold shower! And then it hit me that the only sights would be goose flesh and rigid muscles, while those experiencing the sounds would include my sleeping children while I screamed in pain. So I turned the heat up and instead, decided how good it would feel to leave the wrath of a too-hot shower and welcome the cold floor of the bathroom.

It was a nice thought, anyway. That's what I'm aiming for: nice thoughts.

Liking the Holy

2010-01-05T16:46:00.001-06:00

"Can I have a candy cane?" Mcclellan asks me.
"Yeah, bring one here and you can share it with Verity."
He brings one to me.
"Do you want the straight part or the bent part?" I ask.
"The bent part."

"And that is Jesus's blood," he says, pointing to the red color.
"Yes, it reminds us of Jesus's blood. And what is the white for?"
"I don't know."
"It reminds us that Jesus is holy. He is special and he is great. He is holy. Because Jesus is God."

(Eating the candy cane) "Yeah, and I like the holy."

A Decade in Review (to the tune of A Colby Christmas)

2010-01-04T22:16:00.004-06:00

2010. The last time I celebrated a "new decade" (although each year is the completion of a decade, no?), it was 2000. And that was a big deal. New millenium! New century! And it seemed so...futuristic!

Enter 2010. Enter...surrealism. I remember when I was a kid, my mom said that when she was a child, 50 seemed so far away. And then 50 came, and it was like, "Woah." 2010 echoes a little of that, but I am only 28. I told Matt 2020 (WHA...??!!) will be my mom's 50.

However, as I close out another decade (I remember when I turned 10 I was like, "Holy moly! I'm a whole decade old!" Here I go approaching the closing of my third decade), I must chronicle my highs...and lows of 2000-2010. Here we go!

(Mcclellan reclines in Grandma Mary's chair)

2000- I started college. Well, I was in my first year anyway. I technically started in 1999.

2001- September 11. Who can not chronicle that one and what they were doing when the airplanes hit? I woke up to the news reports that the WTC was "bombed" and entered the living room for the live coverage right as the second plane hit. Holy moly. I tore myself away from the TV and radio to go to my classes that day, but when we all got into our seats, the professor said, "Well, we can turn on the TV and watch the coverage or I can send you all home and you watch it there." Classes were cancelled all day. And there was nary a plane in the sky all day long. Eerie when ASU was less than 10 miles from Sky Harbor and you're used to seeing 3-4 planes cross the sky every 5 minutes.

(Cousins eat matching sprinkle donuts for breakfast)

2001- I left the college-centric church I'd been attending for 3 years to return to the Lutheran church and suddenly found myself without a whole lot of friends. In fact I broke up with a boyfriend over the whole thing.

(The kids each made out with "Purple Lilac" bean bag chairs for Christmas from Grandma.)

2002- I met Matt bright and early in January on MeetChristians.com. I liked that he had red hair, was a Lutheran and posed next to a motorcycle in his profile picture. We met in person in March, had "the talk" about our relationship, and made lots of trips to see eachother is his/her respective states (March, May, July, November). Matt printed off all the emails we sent to eachother during our correspondance years. I began to become acquainted with those whom would eventually be my in-laws.

(Mcclellan reading to his littlest cousin- he was enamored with her.)

2003- Still dating Matt (officially my longest relationship ever...and still going). Graduated ASU in May. Moved to Garden City, KS in June for my first post-college job at KCSL as the Early Head Start Case Management Specialist. I had a small apartment on 8th St. and Matt was the only person I knew in the whole state.

(Three little redheads playing Hungry Hippos)

2004- My Grandma Wilkman died in February. Although her funeral was on Valentine's Day, my mother told me to still go on the big trip Matt had planned for a Valentine's getaway. That should've tipped me off to his "intentions" for me that weekend, but I remained clueless. I got engaged the same day that my grandmother was buried. We hightailed it to Phoenix the next day and spent time with family.

Got married in September, road-trip-honeymooned across AZ-NM-TX, moved into 103 La Vista in DC with Matt.

By the end of the year, Matt's dad was diagnosed with Stage IV renal cell carcinoma.

(Puffy, white snow-encrusted trees in Colby)

2005- I don't remember much of anything of this year except traveling between home, Colby, and Denver to support Matt's dad and mom in Mike's battle with cancer. We spent lots of time off and on in Colby and Denver where Mike was being treated. He succumbed in August. We celebrated our first anniversary the next month. 2005 was an especially hard year- that will go down in the books as possibly our worst year of marriage.

2006- Matt got a transfer to Kansas City with his same company and we packed it all up for eastern KS. We spent the entire month of January scouting out houses. I kid you not when I say that we looked at over 50 houses in 30 days. We bought our palace in January and moved in during the coldest days of the year. By February, we were set.

We vacayed to CA and Disneyland with my mom and dad for Joanna's graduation from Irvine. Somewhere along the way Mcclellan became more than just a twinkle in Matt's eye. I announced I was pg on Father's Day, and spent the rest of the year growing a baby as we continued to try to sell our house in DC. I got a job to help pay for the two mortgages. Finally the house sold at the end of the year, almost exactly one year after we left it. I promptly quit my position at the bank to focus on the last two months of gestation.

(Mcclellan giving the ol' stinkeye. Mom- look like anyone else you know?)

2007- Matt and I enjoyed our last Valentine's dinner as a family of two before the baby came. Enter February 20, and our little boy was born. At the hospital, I looked over at Matt and said, "M or Z?" He said, "M," and thus our baby Michael's middle name was Mcclellan and not Zane. My sister returned from a yearlong mission in Lithuania and got to meet her godson in July for the first time. Matt got very sick with cardiac arrhythmia and spent a lot of time getting to know new doctors. By November, we thought he had the pheo which then, oh-so-interestingly enough, turned out to be nothing. In light of all the sickness and babyness that ensued in 2007, not much else sticks out except what happened on Christmas day of that year.

(These four make Grandma Jacobs look so much like the angel that she is.)

2008- Sometime in January I discovered what NFP charting revealed- Verity was conceived on Dec. 25. And thus, I planned my firstborn's first birthday party with the second bun already in the oven! Mcclellan turned 1; I grew large and unsteady all over again. Verity Christianna graced us with her presence in the room that she still sleeps in to this day. And I became a mama of two under two!

(Matt plays with his new RC helicopter instead of unpacking suitcases)

2009- Of all the years in this past decade, this is the hardest to remember what exactly has taken place. The raising of two toddlers might have something to do with it. The fact that I take less pictures might too.

(Mcclellan and Verity play with their new RC car- even if it looks like Matt is)

In the past decade I've been a teenager, a woman, a wife, a mama, a friend, a sister, a daughter, a blogger, a crafter, a yoga teacher, a mama, a homeschooler. I've learned to love the good with the bad...the bad with the good. I've grown up. I've learned to clean up after myself (which helps when you also have two little ones to clean up after!). I've become less afraid of some things and more afraid of others. I've left one nuclear family to start another. I've called many different places "home." 2009 was a great year in that in was uneventful. We've lived and loved and learned in '09 and its relative uneventfulness was a welcome way to close out such a very full decade, indeed. Looking at it all in perspective makes the past decade seem not only like its flown by, but that the next ones will fly even faster.

*Since the blog technically began back in 2005, you check the really ancient history out there, at Joy of Christina.

What we've been up to

2010-01-01T20:59:00.002-06:00

We're in Colby.

With 4 kids 3 and under.

We've been having a grand ol' time.

And, oh yeah- Happy New Year!

Christmas Day

2009-12-25T13:15:00.002-06:00

White Christmas

2009-12-25T12:44:00.003-06:00

There's no business like snow business like no business I know!

Upon opening the front door, we were greeted by this:I set to work. Now, Matt's telling everyone I had to shovel snow because of his foot. Like, we'd have had no way to get out unless I did it. But I volunteered. I love snow! I think he was just a little sad he couldn't get in on the fun. So that was his excuse.

You're right Matt; I had to do it for our family's survival. I know you wish you didn't have to put your poor wife through it on account of your foot, but we's got to do what we's got to do.

Silhouette of a snowman.

"Why, Mama? Why?"

Verity had a hard time hacking the snow.

Mcclellan enjoyed my brilliant snow tunnel, carved from the drift that blocked our walk.

I'm startin' to get a little cold here.

Enter Matt's sweaty, huge ski-mask.

And we attempted a snow man, but the snow was just too darn powdery. Maybe after the sun shines on it a little bit...

Then we were happy to strip down to our skivvies in our warm home and watch the snowplow from the front window.

Christmas Eve 'round these parts

2009-12-24T19:43:00.007-06:00

Yo! Merry Christmas!Nothing went as planned tonight.
"What seems to be the problem?" I hollered out to Matt (it was just way warmer inside).
"Yeah, I think this is a bad idea," he said, in reference to our attempts at venturing out to church. Not even our church at all. Ours was cancelled. Boo.

Just so you're aware, we didn't skip out on church because we just think church isn't fun. Or don't like driving in the snow (I don't). NOAA will confirm for you our reasons:

DANGEROUS BLIZZARD CONDITIONS...A POTENT STORM SYSTEM...A MIX OF FREEZING RAIN AND
SLEET WILL CHANGE OVER TO ALL SNOW...SLEET ACCUMULATIONS OF 1/4 TO POSSIBLY 3/4 OF
AN INCH...VISIBILITIES MAY BE REDUCED TO UNDER 1/4 MILE WITH GUSTY NORTHWEST WINDS
OF 25 TO 35 MPH...SNOW WILL INCREASE IN INTENSITY TONIGHT...ACCUMULATIONS MAY BE IN
THE 7 TO 10 INCH RANGE...PERSONS PLANNING ON TRAVELING FOR THE HOLIDAY SHOULD
CONSIDER MAKING ALTERNATIVE PLANS

Too bad we were planning on going to Colby. Hopefully, once this blizzard is through, we can hit the road.

At any rate, and since we were dressed up for church, we took some family photos anyway. Too bad you can't see my awesome elfy, pointy ankle-boots.

Look at those cheesers.

And more cheese beneath our "Jesse Chain" (seeing as we didn't have a tree to hang our ornaments on, and our 3' Christmas bush was ordained official "Tree" this year).

Verity's brand-spankin'-secondhand dress, courtesy Savannah Blake!

Then we busted out of those duds and got back into comfy clothes for a night at home. Matt made chili (durn-good) and we just yukked it up as a family.

And for dessert, I suggested ice cream sundaes!

Mcclellan chose strawberry, chocolate, and caramel syrup on his vanilla ice cream.

Matt had Quik chocolate powder, whipped cream, and peanut butter.

Verity got bananas, whipped cream, and peanut butter.

I had chocolate and caramel syrup, bananas, whipped cream, and nuts.

Mmmm, Verity got a whipped cream fu.

And Matt made me really happy by washing the dishes. Yes!

Happy Christmas Eve!

"Now dash away, dash away, dash away, all!"

2009-12-24T12:48:00.002-06:00

That's what it kinda feels like...regarding our plans.

We've got snow. And rain. And ice. And yesterday, even thunder and lightning! That dashed our plans to leave for Colbytown on Christmas day. We're supposed to get ton of weather tomorrow. We'll probably miss the last annual Christmas Fiesta at Matt's grandma's house.

Then tonight? We had plans to bowl and go to church and eat dinner with friends! Church was cancelled (on Christmas Eve?!) and the roads may get too iffy to drive on tonight. Dash!

We thought of leaving early for Western KS yesterday and even this morning, when the skies (and roads) were still fairly clear. But that would mean not opening our stockings at home on Christmas! And missing church! And...and...dash!

As it is, we're home, we're warm, we're together. We have hot chocolate and coffee and biscotti. We have a manger scene, complete with Baby Jesus, whose birthday we will still celebrate, even if they cancel Christmas morning services. Our stockings are hung (for some reason mine is already full- my husband has no Christmas couth). Both children are happy and healthy. We will open our final Advent calendar door (and the kids will eat their marzipan pigs), make muffins, and read our own Christmas scripture in our living room.

Dashed as they may be, our plans still include celebrating the Baby's birthday tomorrow. Maybe we'll spend the day baking a cake. (Goodness knows, as much as the heater's been cranking up, the house could use a day with the oven on.)

Advent Analysis for the Year

2009-12-21T12:36:00.009-06:00

The one tune this year, that gets me every time I hear it on the radio: Three Kings by Eclipse.

I love the a capella first of all. I love the vocal range and ensemble, and the rendition that these guys offer. The fact that they sing the verses about frankincense, gold and myrrh and what they symbolize...well we just can't sugar coat the reason why baby Jesus came to us in the first place.

So really, "We Three Kings of Orient Are" isn't an Advent song at all. It's an Epiphany song. But stay with me, folks.

Christmas is awesome! Its wonderful to reflect and be in awe of the Baby, come down from Heaven. The fact that God sent His son to us, to live with us, to teach us, to point us to God. The expecting of a new baby. The scene of the baby in the manger. The gift-giving. The entire holiday of Christmas (especially from a Christian standpoint) is just...awesome!

So really, all leading up to Christmas isn't really Christmas. It's Advent. Bear with me, I'm getting there.

Taking the whole thing into context- Advent, Christmas, Epiphany- the first coming of Christ is more than just the expectation. Or the birth. Or the presents. And that's why I love the song.

The verse goes:
"Myrrh is mine, its bitter perfume
Breathes a life of gathering gloom.
Sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying
Sealed in the stone-cold tomb."

And when you hear it in that guy from Eclipse's bass? Whew! I love to sing along to the whole song, but I cannot make it through that verse without tearing up and having to stop myself before my son asks, "Why are you crying, Mama?" Goober, I know, that I am.

That has been my favorite part of the season this year. Celebrating the birth and the life, but also looking forward to the death, the suffering, the dying for our sins part that is to come.Imagine: the wise men arrived with their offerings when Jesus was about Verity's age (maybe a little older, maybe a little younger). Did Mary really have any inkling about what the jar of myrrh meant for her son? I mean, the angel did tell her, "he will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High...and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end," (Luke 1: 32-33), and I'm sure she knew of the prophecies of Isaiah and what that meant for her son. But did she really comprehend in those moments of new motherhood, being a SAHM, raising her other children that she eventually had, being a wife to Joseph...that that jar of myrrh, brought to her son after his birth day, would lead a man, much later, in 1857, to write those lyrics? "Sorrowing, sighing, bleeding...dying"? Did she know Jesus would be dying for her, his own mother (let alone me...and you)?

Enter the Eclipse singers' falsetto here, and you see why I get chills (and become slightly verklempt).

(I encourage you to spend the 0.99 to download the song, if you've never heard this version.)

So, there. There's my analysis, my testimony, and my viewpoint of Advent this year. The advent of Christmas, yes, the birth. But more (and most) importantly, the advent of Christ's eventual sacrifice. He did not come to us to be born and remain an adorable, mystical baby in a manger. He came to die. He came solely to die, so we can sing:

"O sacred Head, now wounded, with grief and shame weighed down,
Now scornfully surrounded with thorns, Thine only crown;
O sacred Head, what glory, what bliss till now was Thine!
Yet, though despised and gory, I joy to call Thee mine."

and

"Glorious now behold Him arise;
King and God and sacrifice;
Alleluia, Alleluia,
Sounds through the earth and skies."

Tee! Now, I can't wait for Easter! (You think I'm verklempt now, oh just you wait! The strepitus gets me every time.)

What to fix for a sick husband

2009-12-21T08:51:00.002-06:00

Mine liked this anyway. Served up with a good cup of coffee. Too bad ours was only Maxwell House (before we dug into that organic Sumatran).

Blueberry Johnnycakes

2 cups yellow cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cold butter, cut in small pieces
1 1/2 cups milk
3 large eggs
2 cups frozen blueberries, unthawed

Butter bottom of 13x9x2-inch baking pan and preheat oven to 400°.

Combine first 5 ingredients in food processor; process until blended. Cut in butter,using pulse, until mixture resembles coarse meal. Whisk together milk and eggs in large bowl. Stir meal mixture into the milk mixture. Stir in blueberries. Transfer batter to the prepared pan.

Bake johnnycake batter for 25 minutes, or until a wooden pick or cake tester inserted in center comes out clean.. Cut into large squares and serve warm with maple syrup or blueberry syrup.
Serves 8.

OK, so I'm a dork (bonafide)

2009-12-20T20:07:00.006-06:00

So, I'm so excited about this.

Jake!

(I told you I was bonafide.)

Now, I don't watch a lot of TV. In fact our television we do have in the basement is only set up for DVDs. We have no cable or antenna. I am emotionally invested in only two shows. In fact, these are the only shows I watch (online). Grey's Anatomy (Kevin McKidd!). And The Bachelor (slash, Bachelorette).

I've been watching the Bachelorette since DeAnna. And this last season, with Jillian (I'm gonna go all Dork on you now), I was completely enamored with Jake.

100% because he reminds me of my husband.

In fact, Jillian faulted Jake because he was "just too perfect." Um, Hello? Jillian? Why would you not want a perfect guy? Oh, right. Let's go for ED. (Now, while I was a fan, initially, of Ed [besides the fact that he was so darn cute], I was quickly disenchanted by all the rumors that surfaced after the finale. And then Jillian lost my favor when I realized she was just like him. No wonder she didn't want a perfect guy. Jillian = Eeew.)

That's why I'm soooo enthralled with Jake; and especially now that he will be returning as the Bachelor. He had no business being on The Bachelorette in the first place. He was just too good of a guy. But now? Calling the shots? I mean for a man who says, "Oh my gosh," and "Holy crap!," I'm curious to see if he can maintain his standards and decency. I mean he is the Eagle Scout, pilot, good boy who was "too perfect."

That's Matt all over.

And the girls? Oh man, I can't wait to see what Jake does with some of these floozies! (Yes, I just said floozies.) I mean, this guy cried (hard) during the last show, what's he gonna do when he falls in love with 12 girls at one time?

Woo! Can't wait.

(OK, you can stop trying to hold it in. Laugh. I'm a dork. I know. I just love me some good drama.)

My Life: Another Taste of Surrealism

2009-12-19T13:24:00.002-06:00

So I wrapped up my first yoga session with the rec. commission today. Yes, it was only 6 weeks long. Yes, I only had 12 students, only 7 of whom were faithful to every single class. No, I cannot successfully achieve a handstand or a crane or a parivrtta janu sirsasana. But, I got paid. I'm a yoga teacher.

I kinda, sorta have a job. I mean, I don't have to claim taxes or anything, I make so little...but I get paid.

Now, I've had jobs in the past. I almost had a career back in my pre-kids days. I worked 8-5, had hours-long meetings behind closed doors, and made decisions that affected people's lives. I've taught preschool, for crying out loud.

But for some reason, after almost 3 years of being a SAHM, I feel really, really accomplished by saying that I have a job. Which is really hard for me to even consider a "job" because I really love yoga and have absolutely no problem sharing it with others. I love teaching yoga.

I had my students fill out evaluation forms, made them cookies and certificates for the completion of the class, handed out "business cards", and gave a prize to the most-attended student (there was a drawing for the seven). By gosh, by golly, it was fun. And it felt all official-like.

Enter, surrealism.

Package!

2009-12-18T21:12:00.003-06:00

My Christmas present from my mother arrived today!

No, it wasn't two more children.

It was this!
(And thank you, to UPS for the taping gun. We actually needed a new one.)

But, oh goodness.
Those (biodegradable- they tasted like corn!) packing peanuts and bubble wraps were so fun.
That's typical me. Pop every last one.

That's typical Matt.
Reading the instructions and user's manual.
So he could teach me everything I need to know later.
(That's typical us.)

But, then I decided to grow back up and thread my machine with beautiful, powdery baby pink and SEW!

(Bernina Bernette 56. It's pretty.)

But then Mcclellan and I went over the bubble wrap again after supper to make sure we didn't miss any.

This Morning

2009-12-18T07:17:00.003-06:00

I have a daughter who is swinging around a cute teddy-bear-in-a-balloon ornament by the string and she thinks its amazing.

I have a son who is sleeping in, recovering from his hour and a half awake time last midnight- all because of a booger (that turned out to be the size of a large pea). I don't blame him.

I have a husband who is also taking advantage of this sleeping in rarity and probably wondering if its time to take his next Percocet to dull the pain of his post-surgical foot.

I have a home that was recently described as "very nice, you guys have done a great job in here." It's full of a cardboard house, a tiny Christmas bush (that is gloriously decorated), a gumball machine, a bright blue soffit, jellybeans, lots and lots and lots of laundry, oodles of handmade blankets, vintage furniture and my favorite cookbooks.

I have about 12 Christmas presents (of sixty-five) left to finish. Some can wait til Epiphany (thank goodness!).

I'm thankful for all 65 reasons to make endless gifts this year.

I have coconut macaroon muffins to make for breakfast.

I better get a move on.

"Dear Son: Regarding your fort,"

2009-12-15T22:14:00.006-06:00

You are kind of, like, obsessed with them. Blankets and chairs and sofas and pillows and playclips galore.
You are almost 3.

This was a neighborhood we constructed.
That stripey pillow? Yeah, that's the door to the two-bedroom house you shared with Michael Bear.

The house has a magnificent rag-top sunroof.
You even constructed a small condo for your sister. (But I kinda suspect it was to keep her out of your and Michael Bear's way.)
She didn't mind as long as she got to play with the mini cars.

Sorry for the picture of your bum. I just had to show the secret entrance into the house. The front door is for those who don't really know you that well. I mean, salespeople, Jehovah's Witnesses and Mormons, and proponents for the current candidates knock there.
Me? I know all the ins and outs of your place. Thanks for letting me peek into your home.

Love,
Mom"

"The choir of children sing their song, they've practiced all year long"

2009-12-13T21:07:00.005-06:00

But, seriously, Paul? What children practice songs for a Christmas program for a whole year? We did good on a mere three weeks.

I'm sorry to have borrowed from the awful Christmas song, anyway. "Ding, dong, ding, dong, ding dong, dingdong, dingdong, dingdongdingdingdingdong!"(My pardons; pictures taken with Matt's 2 mp Blackberry)

This morning, was my son's first Christmas program. Like, Sunday School Christmas program. Now, I'd be lying if I didn't tell you it was surreal; but that's mostly because I never intended on his actually getting up on the altar and actually doing his part. He learned his one line that was rehearsed with the other two-year-olds: "Baby Jesus, oh so small. Baby Jesus loves us all." Memorizing it was a piece of cake. It was the actually speaking it, in place, in unison, in front of the whole congregation, without being distracted or terrified, that I doubted.

He did it. In place. In unison. In front of the whole congregation. Without distraction. And (shockingly) without being terrified!

So the fact that he, my firstborn son, is actually a Sunday School kid (officially now, since he's done his first "Sunday School Program"), kinda hit me weirdly after the whole thing was over. "Wow, he did that! Mcclellan actually did a really good job. At church...Oh, I am so proud!" That's when the surrealism of it all struck. (Surreal Moment of the Day #2: Next year, Verity will be up there.)

My lack of confidence in my son and utter misplacement of planning ability caused me to completely deny my camera. I mean, I dressed my kid in jeans for the big Sunday School production. Jeans! Had I known he'd actually perform, I'd have put a vest and black suspenders and shiny black shoes and a shoulder-padded little sportcoat on him!

OK, really not really at all.

I'll spare you the complete details of all his antics during the program. Except this one: here, in this awful-quality picture, he is "blowing his horn," as he informed me. We missed the photo-op of him caressing the shepherds' sheep. Darn.

Regarding Feet

2009-12-12T12:52:00.003-06:00

...because this post is well, regarding feet. Most specifically, my young'uns' feet.

It started because I wanted to photographically take note of my son's gigantic flippers. While wearing his skinny p-jams the other day, I was taken aback by his flip-flopping feet (which he adorably walks with, out to the sides like a waddly duck). I snapped.

But then, see his sister's toes honing in on the spotlight? Verity is never one to go unnoticed.

Yes, daughter you're feet are noteworthy too. Fat. But absolutely noteworthy.

(Notice how both have Matt's oversized big toe? Goodness, I hope they don't require cheilectomies when they're in their early 30's as well.)

The sweetness WILL be concerned with me.

2009-12-10T20:02:00.004-06:00

Oh, yes. The sweetness will be concerned with me. (All you JEW fans know what I'm talkin' bout.)

I finished Verity's quilt binding. Finally.

This is the one Christmas project that has been a sharp, twisty, barbed thorn in my side. For those of you who could care less about quilting, stop reading now.

For those of you who do, examine, if you will, my mitered binding.

No, no. I can't take credit for this all on my own. While not a particularly difficult thing to master, I had forgotten completely (my brain was basted in with the batting, I swear) how to bind corners. I called the amazing Quilting Goddess (yes, Jeannie, the Q and the G are capitalized because you are the QG!) and she hooked me up with the correct information.

The labor of...what is it called? Blood? Agony? Oh, that's right. Love. Whatever. People, I am talking about inherently badly cut squares (which I'd gotten from the thrift store for mere pennies- hence, why badly cut). My machine spit up on me throughout the whole ordeal. I cut an entire quilt's worth of binding a whole inch too narrow! And then I proceeded to sew the entire thing down hoping it would be enough. It wasn't. Ripped the whole binding off. Cut the entire rest of my backing fabric (hoping it'd be enough!) to the correct width.

Tonight, it was sewn on and all I have left is the peaceful, easy, bliss of handstitching the rest down. No, I did not include a picture of the finished product. To be where I am right now? Ahhh, the sweetness.

Eating (not yellow) Snow

2009-12-09T13:06:00.004-06:00

The 40 mph winds last night paid off: we got these awesome drifts.

(and I thought our house might blow over)

I love snow accumulation on branches and leaves. Even more I love the heavy icicles that hang from electrical lines. Not really. But they are pretty.

(that's the butterfly bush right outside our bedroom window that scratches the side of the house all night long. It really needs to be cut down already.)

Some crazy Zonie forgot to put away all the kids' outside toys. I doubt we'll be doing much pretend mowing for awhile.

And the poor dog got a spot carved out for her restroom facilities. I pity the poor thing peeing in belly-high snow.

We brought some "clean, fresh-fallen snow" (as Matt explained yesterday to Mcclellan was the kind we could eat) inside and let the exploration begin.

We heated up all our corn- and rice-bags we own so as to keep our fingers from freezing.

And then! Then, we made ice cream snow! Matt explained to me that his great-grandma used to make this for him when he was a kid. Milk (about 2/3 cup) + sugar (about a quarter cup) + vanilla (oh, a 1/2 t. or so) + SNOW!!

We made little snowballs and then doused them in the stuff. Oh, man.

It was yummy. Seriously, the highlight of my week. Especially when you consider I won't be driving anywhere (let alone with the kids) for some time. I'm really glad I added another 14 people to my Christmas list so I have more presents! to make (slight sarcasm. Just slight).

And yes, we are all in pajamas today. Purposefully. But mine are just too darn cute, I don't think you could handle the ridonkulousness that you would see. So...no pictures.

But a cuppa + a vanilla snowball? That you can handle. Just don't be too jealous.

Verity learned the secret that is warming ice-cold fingers on a hot baby. If only I could get her to leave mittens on now.

But my favorite part was when she wanted to stand on a chair by the window and point at all the snow and grunt, "Uhhh! Ooooh! Nuhhhh!"