He Lifts Me Up

12 Day of Christmas...plus a few

2006-12-18T15:38:00.000-06:00

Hello dear Friends.

I am not abadoning you. But it is time for me to take a Christmas hiatus as I finish baking, wrapping, packing, cleaning, oh and working! before we go off on our family excursion for the holidays. I'll probably check in once or twice, like this Thursday for the wrap-up of the Fall into Reading Challenge, and to share what I am sure will be some funny moments from the tree. But other than that, I need to step back from my little ol' blog until the New Year. I hope you understand. I'm sure you have things to do, too!

Merry Christmas - God bless you as you celebrate the wonderful birth of our Saviour next week. And I'm still praying for us all to be filled with awe come Christmas morning at the precious gift we received.

Enjoy!

Thursday Thirteen

2006-12-14T14:21:00.000-06:00

Thirteen Things I found in My Son's Backpack

(a study in what's important to a two year old boy)

A reporter's notebook.
A dollar store chubby notebook.
Another dollar store chubby notebook.
A kitty notebook (hmmm, you think he takes after his Dad?
A Dora pencil.
A red pen.
A fish pen (because he needs something to fill all those notebooks with!).
Superman action figure.
A Happy Meal toy he snagged from his sisters.
A set of mini-Donkey cards he won at the Santa Party.
A Veggie Tales postcard.
Mom's Sunday School to-do list (okay, I put it in there on Sunday - his bag was handy!)
actually, there were only 12 things, but since he always puts his milky in his backpack before we go anywhere, I think I count that, too.

Incidentally, guess what his number one thing he wants for Christmas this year is?

A new notebook.

Happy Thursday! Be sure to check out some other great Thursday Thirteen's!

The best gift of all

2006-12-12T13:07:00.000-06:00

Today we were at the post office waiting for Kevin to get the mail. I knew by the length of time he was taking that there had to be a parcel waiting for us. You know what that means ~ presents! I told the kids that I thought we might be getting some Christmas presents in the mail. Hannah just smiled her sweet little smile (the one that tells me she's humouring me. Really, how can a four, almost five, year old already have perfected that?!). But Ethan's reaction was the best. His eyes lit up and his jaw literally dropped. I'm pretty sure his mouth could not have been open any wider! I love seeing Christmas through his two year old eyes.

That makes me stop and think about my own reaction. I love Christmas. But honestly, I get so caught up in the busyness of having to get my shopping done (although, I've been pretty much done since November. Just in case you've forgotten!), doing the mandatory baking, getting the presents wrapped, the house decorated, and trying to maintain some sanity in the midst of it all, that I can go for days overlooking what all this fuss is really about.

When's the last time the miracle of what God did for us make my jaw drop in awe and amazement?

It is my prayer for myself, for my family, and for all of you, that while we finish preparing for the big day ~ because it is totally worth celebrating ~ that we will be consumed with wonderment over God's gift of life to us through Jesus' birth. And that out of reponse to that, we will be driven to give our best for Him, because He gave His best to us.

And on Christmas Day, maybe, just maybe, our jaws will drop in amazement, too.

2006-12-11T15:36:00.000-06:00

Okay. Ordinarily, I am not prone to griping or complaining (too much!) in this blog. That's not my intent for writing. But today, I just have to. If you would rather spend your time reading something uplifting, I totally understand. I promise to behave tomorrow!

Last month one of my co-workers went on disability. She has Chrohn's disease, and the stress of working full-time was just too much for her and was making her condition worse. So she was given time off to get better and re-evaluate how much she wants to work if/when she comes back.

Unfortunately, when she left, it was discovered that she wasn't pulling her weight for her part of the job. For those who don't know, I work as a coordinator for a non-profit organization, and we split the job into three positions. She was in charge of some very critical things concerning our funding. And it seems like every week we are discovering something else she left either undone, or else just didn't bother to do.

Today I discovered she didn't do a report that was due last May and that we were given an extension on because of staffing issues in the spring. However, it was one of those extensions that had an immediate deadline once we were granted it. I was doing some leg work for our next report that is due next spring, when it was brought to light the first one hadn't been even submitted at all.

This just makes me mad. I find it so frustrating that someone would be irresponsible enough to jeopardize the integrity of our organization. I understand she was sick, but I told her every single week that if she needed help to tell me and I would do whatever she needed. Not once did she indicate she wasn't capable of doing this report. We all assumed it had been done and submitted, because she said she was taking care of it. But now, any future funding from this source is in peril because of this one major oversight. And of course, I get to be the one left scrambling to fix it.

What makes this most difficult, is this is someone I really like as a person. And I don't want it to affect our friendship. I've already been praying today for God to help me to forgive her. And I know I will. It's just going to take me a bit to get over my annoyance.

There. I feel a little better now! And this still isn't anywhere NEAR as stressful as the Santa Thing. That definitely tops the list!

I hope you don't all hate me now ~ please come back!!

They said I looked cute in my Santa hat

2006-12-09T17:46:00.000-06:00

It's finally over! My Santa party is done. Our last minute, saved-my-life (and possibly job!) Santa showed up and was FANTASTIC! And all I saw were smiles everywhere.

You know, it was kind of fun. And I got a Santa hat out of the deal, too.

I'd do it again - but only if someone else finds the Santa!!

I'm off to recuperate now. And to think not-so-nice thoughts about the guy who said he'd be Santa and then disappeared. I hope he feels really guilty right now. Okay, I know. That's not very charitable of me. But he DID cause me a lot of undue stress this week. He deserves the lump of coal in his stocking, believe me!

Friday's Feast

2006-12-08T15:39:00.000-06:00

Because I'm too exhausted to think of anything off the top of my poor, weary head - enjoy!

Appetizer
Which language would you like to learn and why?
Oh, let's say Italian. It sounds so interesting and romantic. Plus, no one here knows any of it, so I could say lots of things about them and they wouldn't know what on earth I was saying. Okay, I wouldn't really do that. I'm too nice!

Soup
What's the funniest thing you've heard or read so far this week?
Ethan was praying at supper on Monday night. It's his standard to ask Jesus if he can go somewhere the next day. That night he was asking to go to Bible Study the following day - his prayer went like this: "Thank you Jesus for this day. Thank you we go to Bible Study. (pause) Mommy, can we go to Bible Study tomorro? (Yes, honey) YAY! Thanks Mom! Amen."

Well, it was funny to hear it!

I also read a Dilbert cartoon about stealing from the secretary's candy dish. I'm still giggling!

Salad
Which movie was so bad you couldn't watch the whole thing?
There's been a few. If I had to narrow it down, it would have to be this one with Keanu Reeves. I can't remember what it was called, but it was some futuristic sci-fi. It was so horrible, I couldn't get past the first 15 mins. And I love Keanu!

Main Course
If there were a holiday in your honor that didn't use your actual name, what would the day be called?
Santa Party Coordinator Appreciation Day. And it wouldn't be just a day. It would be a whole week!

Dessert
Name one movie which is coming out soon that you would like to see.
The Nativity. I realize this is already out, but I really want to see it. And that's something, because I rarely want to see movies anymore.

Because they're cute

2006-12-04T16:43:00.000-06:00

So as I get everything together for our big Santa Party this week, I thought I would share some fun things I've discovered along the way for your kids. Or you, if you're so inclined!

My friend Raelynn shared this site with me last night as I was looking for some snowflake patterns for decorating. I printed some out at work today and enlarged them a bit more. The best part is Emma can help me with the cutting! And she's free! Even Hannah can cut out the pattern for us to fold. This is a fun project for older kids who want snowflakes to look more like the real thing, or even to show them how to fold them in the first place so they can create their own.

One of the games we are going to play this weekend is Penguin Topple. I was trying to figure out how to make bowling fit in with a North Pole theme, and I came up with the idea to tape white ovals on the front of the pin, and then tape black wings on the sides. They actually resemble penguins, and my girls thought they were pretty cute. It took less than half an hour to make, and is a fun addition to your winter themed party. (And, yes, I know penguins don't live at the North Pole, they live at the South Pole. Miss Emma informed me of this today! But she still thought they were cute!)

If you have Microsoft Publisher, you can make your own Pin the Nose on Rudolph poster. I found a picture of the reindeer with no nose here. Then I cut and paste it into Publisher after selecting it's poster format. It prints off in pieces, but then you just fit it together like a puzzle. I laminated the sheets first, so that we can use tape on the backs of the noses, and it won't wreck the poster itself. Cheaper and easier than trying to find one in a store (and you know how much I love shopping in December!)

If I discover any more useful and cheap ideas, I'll share them with you! I'm a lot less stressed this week now that the big things are out of the way. Either that, or someone is praying for me! If it's you, thank you!

Happy playing!

Christmas Memories

2006-12-02T18:49:00.000-06:00

I know I've said this before, but sometimes I'm kinda a follower, and since practically every single blog I read has done this meme or something similar, I am too!

1. Egg nog or hot chocolate? Hmmmm, one has the word "egg" in it, and the other has the word "chocolate"! Not too hard to pick ~ I think egg nog is gross. And you can't really top it with whipped cream and chocolate shavings, either. (Mmmmmm)

2.Does Santa wrap presents or just set them under the tree? Definitely wraps them. Santa is a bit of a perfectionist on this point. He even has special paper just from him.

3.Coloured lights or white? I have to admit I prefer white to the coloured ones. Maybe it's because I grew up in the tacky era known as the early 90's, but coloured lights just bug me. Unless they're on your tree - then I like them. I just don't like them on mine!

4. Do you hang misletoe? Nope - I don't need an excuse to kiss my sweetie!

5. When do you decorate for Christmas? Usually Dec 1 the weekend right around it. We haven't yet, but that's because Kevin didn't have time to pick up a tree yesterday. Silly work! But we'll get it done by Monday for sure. And I take it all down on the 1st of January ~ as much as I love decorating for Christmas, it gets a little overwhelming after awhile, and it's nice to put it all away and start the New Year with a blank slate, so to speak.

6.What is your favourite holiday dish, excluding dessert? What is so wrong about dessert?!! Okay, okay, since I have to pick, I guess my favourite is my mother-in-law's buns. Yes, seriously. She makes the best homemade buns EVER, and I can make myself sick eating them when they are fresh from the oven. Those and her wheat salad ~ it could pretty much count as dessert, but we eat it for dinner anyway. So there.

7. Favourite holiday memory as a child? Every Christmas Eve, we would gather at my Aunt and Uncle's house and have supper together. After dishes were done, my uncle would grab his guitar and we'd sing Christmas carols for hours. Even the bad ones.

8.When and how, did you learn the truth about Santa? Hmmm, not sure if I remember. I think I had a pretty good idea when I was 8, but I also remembering hanging onto the idea until I was 10. I stayed up in bed that night until I could hear my parents, and saw them carrying the hidden presents from their room as I peeked through the crack in my doorway. Theory confirmed!

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? Not anymore, but the kids do. We give them jammies to open up, and then convince them to put them on and go to bed so Santa will come! Works like a charm!

10. How do you decorate your Christmas tree? Oh, I so want to use sarcasm here - but there, I resisted! Right now I am on a red and gold kick, so after the white lights, the base decorations are gold and red. Then we fill the rest in with special keepsake ornaments, like the ones we bought to commemorate the kids' first Christmases, special gifts from Sunday School and/or family, and the ones the kids make in school that survived from the year before. Oh, and one really tacky plastic snowman Kevin bought the Christmas we were engaged ~ I had bought my first ever tree, and he was helping me pick out ornaments for it. He bought the snowman, and insists it has to be hung every year. And every year, like a good little wife, I hang it at the back of the tree where no one can see it, and we spend the rest of the month moving it back and forth from different locations to bug one another. But now that I've remembered he bought it when we were engaged, I can see it's actually kind of special! But don't tell him I said that!

11. Snow - love it or hate it? LOVE IT!

12. Can you ice skate? No. I can't. I used to, but I'm terrible at it now. It's Kevin's job to take the kids ice skating while I stay home and make hot chocolate (not egg nog!)

13. Do you remember your favourite gift? Kevin gave me a Bible the year we got engaged. And another year he bought me The Complete Works of Shakespeare, but I don't think that was for Christmas. I just really wanted it, so he bought it. But it still counts!

14. What is the most important thing about the holidays to you? Being able to share my enthusiasm and love for Jesus with my kids. They already know, but it's just easier this time of year, because you can see Him everywhere! We even make a birthday cake for him and eat it just because we can.

15. What is your favourite holiday dessert? I think it would be easier to tell you my least favourite - fruit cake. I like it all - especially if it involves chocolate!

16. What is your favourite holiday tradition? Making gingerbread people with the kids wins hands down!

17. What tops your tree? An angel.

18. What is your favourite Christmas song? Easy - O Holy Night. I get teary-eyed and goose bumps just listening to it, never mind singing it! And my favourite rendition is Harry Connick Jr's.

19. Which do you prefer, giving or receiving? Who's going to admit receiving?! I like receiving, definitely, but it is sooooo much fun buying things for my kids and for Kevin that I know they will love, and trying to keep it secret for a month and a half ('cause I'm done shopping already, you know!) . The Christmas I was expecting Emma, I spilled the beans to Kevin, and he still teases me to this day about it!

20. Candy Canes - yum or yuck? I'm indifferent. I don't really like them, but I can tolerate them if I have to. I usually give mine to the kids.

Whew! That was a long one! But it got me back in the spirit of things, after my hectic week! Consider yourself tagged - just let me know if you did it, so I can visit!

Happy Happy Joy Joy

2006-12-02T18:39:00.000-06:00

I found a Santa! I'm so happy! I ~~shamelessly begged~~ tactfully coerced the guy who was playing Santa last night to help me out next weekend. I think he was a little overwhelmed by how ~~desperate~~ convincing I sounded, but either way, I'm happy!

Now I can enjoy my break and concentrate on other useful things - like how to get dried ketchup out of my jeans.

It's a beautiful morning

2006-12-01T10:32:00.000-06:00

Okay, so it's freezing cold and snowing AGAIN. But it's still a beautiful morning. I'm done everything that needs doing for the week, and all I have to do today is sit here and look pretty until our big town event this evening. And I can do that, 'cause I'm wearing my new shirt!

It's amazing what a good night's sleep will do for your spirits! Today I can completely understand why God gives us a day of rest. We need it. Not just for physical rest, but to refresh ourselves mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. This week has been so hectic, I've only had one day where I was able to sit and get into God's Word and actually have some meaningful prayer time. The rest of my week has consisted of quick, harried prayers of "please get me through this!!", and guilty glances at my closed Bible on my night table as I fall into bed already asleep.

So please forgive me, but I'm going to go spend some much needed time with my Lord right now, and enjoy this wonderful break in my week.

Yes, it is a beautiful day!

Take that Mr. Grammar Police!

2006-11-30T13:35:00.000-06:00

Your Language Arts Grade: 100%

Way to go! You know not to trust the MS Grammar Check and you know "no" from "know." Now, go forth and spread the good word (or at least, the proper use of apostrophes).

Are You Gooder at Grammar?
Make a Quiz

My husband thinks he's so smart, just because he's a writer. HA!

(Love you, honey!)

Where have all the Santas gone?

2006-11-30T13:06:00.000-06:00

(Admit it. That bad Paula Cole song about the cowboys from 10 years ago is running through your head right now. Except you've replaced cowboys with Santas. And if it wasn't, it is now!)

Okay. Still stressed here, friends! Who would have thought with two grant funding applications due this week, a display to finish for tomorrow, and a Santa party to finish planning for next week, that the biggest stressor of my life at this moment is Santa!! Where has he gone?!

We have asked all the Santa's from previous years, and they are all too busy to bring some joy into our town's kids' lives. Possible new prospects are too Scroogy. Everyone runs whenever I start looking them over to see if they will fill out the red suit. And my hair is rapidly thinning as I pull it out the closer Saturday comes. (Too bad this couldn't happen to my hips!)

Is it too much to ask that we have a Santa for our SANTA PARTY!! I mean, that's kind of the point of the whole thing!

Maybe he's frozen from the extreme cold we've had here this week. Wait a minute. This is Saskatchewan - he should be used to it by now!

(Yes, I have just revealed my location ~ I did it in hopes Mr Claus will come knocking on my door RIGHT THIS MINUTE.

No. Didn't work.)

I'm sure there's a lesson in all of this. But I'll try to figure it out after I see how I look in red. Not so sure about the beard though. I don't think it's really me!

Ho Ho Ho!

He lifts me up

2006-11-28T11:45:00.000-06:00

This week and next are shaping up to be crazy as I finish up plans for the big events I am coordinating for work, not mention the staff party I apparently am planning, and the regular family Christmas stuff that we do every year. And I thought hitting the malls in December was stressful!! Thank goodness I don't have to do that! (yes, I just gloated about being done my shopping. I told you I would!)

I've decided I can deal with this one of two ways - I can freak out for the next two weeks, as is my natural tendency during brief bouts of stress, or I can just give it all to God and dig in. I know it'll all get done. This is me afterall. I'm the Queen of Planning!! So I can either enjoy the ride, or drive everyone around me crazy as my blood pressure soars and I end up on leave like my co-worker who was supposed to help me out with all this stuff in the first place.

If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised.
~1 Peter 4:11

My job, for me anyways, is my service to God. He made this job for me! I daily try to glorify God through my actions at work and by doing what He gives me with my whole heart. When I remember to do that, I can feel tension leave my body as I rely on Him to give me the strength to get through 'til next Saturday. He really does lift me up.

Tea Time!

2006-11-25T11:31:00.000-06:00

"Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails." ~ Proverbs 19:21 (NIV)

"For I know the plans I have you," says the Lord. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me in earnest, you will find me when you seek me. I will be found by you," says the Lord. ~ Jeremiah 29: 11-14 (NLT)

Friday's Feast

2006-11-24T13:14:00.000-06:00

Friday's Feast is a cute little meme with questions to help you get to know me better. And isn't that why you're here? Enjoy!

Appetizer
Have you ever changed a flat tire by yourself?
Haha - I can't even FILL a flat tire by myself! I'm such a helpless female when it comes to cars. I'm lucky I can even fill the car with gas - although isn't that what full service stations are for?

Soup
Do you have an "innie" or an "outie" belly button?
Innie - not that you'll ever see it.

Salad
Name a new paint color and describe it.
Hot Chocolate Froth - exactly the colour of the foam on top of your steaming cup of chocolate. Yummy!

Main Course
What is your favorite holiday tradition?
A couple of years ago, my girls and I started making gingerbread people together at Christmas. They help me make them, and then it's their job when the cookies are cooled off to decorate them. They make a couple for each kid in the family, and some for themselves, of course! And the whole time we make a game of seeing how many candies we can sneak without compromising the integrity of our work. It's fun, and it gives me and the girls something to look forward to doing together.

Dessert
If you were a cookie, what kind of cookie would you be, and why?
oatmeal chocolate chip - wholesome, but sweet...and not so wholesome after all!

You have to try it!

2006-11-23T13:47:00.000-06:00

So I discovered this fun little game at likebetter.com You choose one of two pictures that you like better repeatedly until this little brain turns pink. When you click on the brain, it tells you interesting things it thinks it knows about you. I had to try!

At first, it did pretty good. It said I went to college (which I did), and that I read voraciously. So I kept picking pictures. Next round it said I prefer cats to dogs, also true, and that creativity is my expertise. I wasn't sure about that one. I am creative in some ways, but adminstration is much more me. But I didn't let that stop me!

After my third round, the pink brain said that if someone stopped me and asked for really difficult to give directions, I'd help them. Well of course I would! That's the nice thing to do!!

But then, the fun of the game wore off, when it said four little words:

"You are a guy."

You should try it anyways.

2006-11-22T13:41:00.000-06:00

Have you ever noticed how exciting you can make something for your kids just by tacking on the word "secret"? Today I was coming home from taking Hannah to preschool, and Ethan wanted to sit in the carseat waaaaaaay at the back of the van. It's cold today, and I really didn't feel like being outside anymore than necessary. In our middle row of the van is a hidden, built-in toddler seat. So I said to Ethan, "Do you want to sit in the secret seat?" His eyes widened and he got this silly little smile on his face as he nodded vigorously. So I buckled him into the secret seat for the short drive home. I'm pretty sure he grinned the whole time! And to top it all off, I told him that he could ride in the secret seat whenever it was just him and Mommy in the van.

I wonder why this doesn't work with supper. Whenever I tell my kids supper is a secret, they run away and hide.

(Incidentally, with Hannah off at preschool right now, and Ethan down for his only nap of the week, I have the WHOLE HOUSE TO MYSELF!!!!!! YES!!!!!!)

2006-11-21T13:32:00.000-06:00

"Faith is deliberate confidence in the character of God whose ways you may not understand at the time."

~ Oswald Chambers~

I've been pretty lucky. After surviving some not so wonderful years as a child, I eventually found the Lord, and He gave me a bit of a reprieve. He brought me my amazing husband, and blessed us with three beautiful kids. We enjoy an intimate friendship with one another, and our kids. We're pretty blessed.

So when our time came (and it always does) to have to deal with something big, it was no big effort for me to remember that God was there holding me up. When my Hannah turned 2, we had a routine iron test done on her, mostly because she didn't eat much for meat (really, what 2 year old does!). We were expecting to be told to give her a supplement, but we weren't prepared for the real news. They discovered Hannah had neutropenia, a blood disorder that affects only the white blood cells, or neutrophils, that are responsible for fighting bacterial infections.

Because they weren't one hundred per cent sure what type of strain this was, or just how serious, we were told Hannah would be scheduled for a bone marrow test. In the meantime, Kevin and I did a lot of research to try and understand what we were up against. I'm not sure I'd recommend this!

Neutropenia can be as simple as a benign condition that is grown out of by the age of 6, or it can be as serious as a precursor to leukemia. Like every good mother would, I totally jumped to worse case scenario. What if she had that? What would I do?

I cried for days. I couldn't handle the thought that my baby might be seriously ill. You know when people tell you God won't give you more than you can handle? Wrong. Who can handle even the idea of losing a child, never mind actually having that happen? I was so distraught, I couldn't even pray. Literally. I would try, but I just couldn't make anything come out of my heart.

Here's where the complete confidence in God comes in - knowing I couldn't pray, I asked everyone I knew to do it for me. Within hours I could feel His peace surrounding me and comforting me. I stopped crying. I felt assured that no matter what the outcome, He was there.

God upheld me through my daughter's test, when we had to choose who would go with her when they put her under, and when they told me only my husband could be with her when she woke up. He got us through the waiting and wondering what the future held for us and our precious Hannah.

As it turned out, Hannah had the benign condition. She will be free from it within another year. And God be praised, she has had only two or three infections that we had to watch carefully, and her body rallied and got through them as well as if she didn't have the disease at all. When I look at my baby, I am thankful for His goodness in protecting and healing her.

I never doubted God during that time. I questioned, definitely. I even selfishly demanded to know why it had to be my daughter. But I never lost confidence in His goodness, His love, and that He knew what He was doing. He is, after all, God.

Praise be to the Lord, for he has heard my cry for mercy. The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song. ~ Psalm 28:6-7

Dinner conversations

2006-11-20T18:21:00.000-06:00

One thing I love about eating supper together as a family is the conversation. You can learn an awful lot about your family in the 20 odd minutes it takes to demolish your culinary creations when you actually sit down at the table together. Tonight was no exception.

The conversation started when my girls were discussing what their ages will be in 20 years. "27 - that's so old!" (as Mommy chokes on her taco at the ripe old age of 30!)

My four year old decided to get in on the math "Emma, you're in your 7-ties, I'm in my 4-ties, and Ethan is in his 2-ties!" (just say that out loud ~ too-ties. I think you can guess where this conversation is going!!!!)

"Yes," I said amidst my own giggles, "Ethan is definitely in his tooties!"

(My kids thought it was funny that Mommy thought it was funny. I guess they don't think I have much of a sense of humour!)

Ethan, the typical third child who likes to be the cut-up of the family, joins in. "Mommy, I toot! Watch!"

Yes, in case you were wondering, he did. Amazing - and I can't get this boy to even be slightly interested in potty training!

"Watch, Mommy, I do it again!" he says.

Pause.

"It's not working, Mommy!"

Yes, dinner conversation can certainly be enlightening. I just hope I can remember this tomorrow - you know how your memory goes on you when you're old!

Are you my husband?

2006-11-20T15:07:00.000-06:00

I am officially a sports widow.

Until I married a sportswriter/fanatic, I never really understood what that meant. My dad is not big into sports, and being an only child- a girl at that! - I was not exposed to the phenomenon called the sports fan until my early twenties. I didn't even realize there were such hardcore devotees who actually painted their bodies - what is THAT about?!!

But God, having the sense of humour that He does, hooked me up with the nicest, kindest man imaginable who just also happens to know everything there is to know about sports. And he got stuck with me, the girl who giggles at the term "tight end" in football. Nice.

The good thing about Kevin knowing all there is to know, is he is totally perfect for his job. He is smart enough to see past all the cliches those athletes and coaches throw at him, and write a story I would actually understand. Not that I read all his stories. I just can't get interested - sorry, honey! Now maybe if he started writing about scrapbooking, then I'd pay attention!

Anyways, being in the final throes of University football, I have yet to really see my husband this month. I think that was him I picked up at the airport yesterday, but I can't be too sure. I only saw him for a few hours before I went to bed nursing a migraine, and he disappeared again this morning after leaving the kids with me at work (yes, he can do that!). I do talk to him on the phone, so I know he's somewhere, I just can't remember what he looks like! I tried to look at his mug shot in the paper to refresh my memory, but it's an old picture - he looks much better now, especially with his snazzy new glasses.

Next week all the madness will be over for another year, and I will have my sweetie back again. Until curling starts, anyways!

Come have some tea with me

2006-11-18T10:38:00.000-06:00

I'm so proud of myself - I actually figured out how to save my designs so I can upload them onto my blog. I feel so computer-geeky!!

Okay, so you've probably already guessed from the graphic, but I'll explain anyway. Each weekend I am going to share either a memory verse I am working on, or just a verse from my readings that particularly stood out to me during the week. Sometimes I may expound upon it, and somedays I may just let the words speak for themselves. And I welcome all comments/bursts of insight you may have to contribute, too. Let's get started!!

We demolish arguements and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. ~ 2 Corinthains 10:5

One of the benefits of blogging is that I have to become more thoughtful in what I actually say. I mean, whatever I say here is out there for the whole world to see, and I can't take it back. There are definitely days where I want to say things that are less than charitable, but then I remember the potential to hurt that person, and I refrain.

The good thing is, I have found this to be carrying over into my daily life as well. I have a very quick tongue at home, and I don't always think before I use it. This results in me saying things that hurt the other person, and a lot of times in a not so nice tone of voice. I know as soon as I let the words leave my mouth that I've done it again, and yet I do it again a few days later.

This week this verse has been floating through my head. It pops up when I am about to do something I shouldn't, and stops me in my tracks. It's pretty hard to ignore God! But it also has been helping me reign in my tongue. I acually find I am thinking first, deciding whether this is something that is in line with what God would want me to say, and then keeping my mouth shut! When I take captive my thoughts to make them obedient to Christ, I end up saying a lot less. The result is a more peaceful household, where people aren't afraid to make Mommy mad. And that is very humbling indeed.

Do you love it?!!

2006-11-17T15:15:00.000-06:00

Isn't my new look amazing?! I have to thank Susie at BlueBird Blogs for all her hard work in fixing up my new digs. She's wonderful - if you ever need someone to design your blog for you, you should visit her first.

I'm so excited - this is just as fun as getting new shoes!!

Santa's done her shopping

2006-11-17T13:20:00.000-06:00

I'm so excited - I finished all my Christmas shopping for the kids today. With the exception of stockings, of course. That's Kevin's job. He loves to do it, so I graciously allow him to. I know. I'm so nice!

Last year I discovered the joy of online Christmas shopping. I can get it all done within an hour, and never get stressed! Although, I did end up going to the stores for a few things, but I vowed to avoid that this year. Even in mid-November the stores are starting to get crazy!

So this year I picked out everything I was getting my babies, and by 11:30 this morning, I was all done. Now I just have to sit back and wait for the presents to be sent to me. Love it!!

(I'll be getting Kevy's present in a couple of weeks by the same means. I can't hide it as well as the kids stuff! And I can't tell you what it is, because this is probably the day he's actually reading my blog...hi honey! Love you!)

Of course, some may say there are drawbacks. Like paying shipping. But I feel that I have saved myself so much money in gas, that it more than makes up for it. Besides, if you know where to go, you can get stuff shipped for free by either paying a minimum amount, or like Sears, having it shipped somewhere you can pick it up. I ended up spending only $9.99 for convenience today. AND my sanity is still intact!

I did encounter one problem - along the way I somehow managed to duplicate an order that I thought hadn't gone through due to my crazy computer. So I ended up getting an email confirming TWO orders and a HUGE bill! Thank goodness they don't ship right away and I was able to get it sorted out. And that my husband didn't have to see THAT invoice. He would have freaked!!

So, while everyone else is battling the malls and the stress of not being able to find anything, I will be sitting at home, quietly sipping tea and enjoying the season, knowing I have found the perfect presents for my sweeties. And when I do venture out, it will be to buy decorations and other things that don't have to be exactly what I am looking for. And for a change, I'll be calm and cool in these places, instead of the frazzled stressed-out woman I usually am in December!!

Here are a list of places I check out when I shop online:

Grand River Toy Company (great for educational toys and other unique finds)

Sears

McNally Robinson Booksellers (free shipping!!!)

Toys R Us (why would you even THINK about going there at this time of year!!)

WFMW - Christmas Edition

2006-11-15T13:33:00.000-06:00

I'm so happy this week's WFMW is about Christmas! Some people might get stressed thinking about it over a month ahead of time, but not me! Bring it on!

I'm a big fan of tradition. I have to do everything the same every year, otherwise it's just not right. We have to take the Nativity scene out in just the right order and put them in the same place every year. Then my husband has to sneak in snowmen ornaments to tease me, and I move them back - every year! I have to get stressed, I mean excited! over the strings of Christmas lights, and general mess that is involved in decorating the tree. And I have to bake the same things every year - although I do throw something new into the mix, just for fun. I'm not totally compulsive, you know!

My favourite thing to do each year is to read our little Christmas book to see what we were up to in Christmases past. A friend gave me this - it's just a little book to hang on the tree, and each year before I put the decorations away, I write what made our Christmas special. The kids love to hear it, too - especially when it's about them! My favourite memory in our book is the Christmas I was expecting Hannah - Kevin, Emma, and I were all in the hospital at least once that December, pretty much every week. By the time Hannah finally made her apppearance two weeks later in January, the ER staff knew who we were! (To be fair, one of our visits involved seeing my friend who had just had her baby, much to my chagrin, since I was due before her!!!)

A lot of the things I have written I usually have forgotten about by the next Christmas, and it's always nice to be reminded of the wonderful moments we had together as a family.

So my tip for you is to keep track of those special memories each year, and enjoy reviewing them in the days to come. You'll be glad you did!

For tons more ideas and helpful hints for this holiday season, visit Rocks in My Dryer. And read her post while you're there!

Cure for the Common Life

2006-11-14T13:52:00.000-06:00

Because I am now all done my novels on my list, I'm forced to work on the non-fiction ones! I'm kind of glad, because when I get into one, I actually learn a lot. I just sometimes prefer to not have to work so hard when I read!

Right now I am reading Cure for the Common Life by Max Lucado. You need to read this book. I'm not even done it yet, and I've already taken more from it than I have from most other non-fiction I have read in the past year.

When I first started reading it, I wasn't too sure I would keep it up. My first impression was it was dealing with spiritual gifts. And I hate to say it, but I've already read as much as I want to on the topic! But as I got further into the first section, I realized he wasn't talking about the typical spiritual gifts you usually hear about. You know, hopspitality, administration, music, helps, etc. Not that those aren't important! Those are great gifts to have! But as he points out, you can't compartmentalize everyone into the short list of gifts found in the New Testament. It's just not possible.

I don't know about you, but I have found this to be true in my life. I have taken a few of those surveys, and sometimes it comes up with things I KNOW are wrong. Like I'm gifted in music, or pastoral stuff. Whatever! And how come these things never mention working with children?!

Lucado asks the reader to look at their "sweet spot" to find their calling. Your sweet spot is the time in your life when you just felt RIGHT about whatever it was you were doing. Like you were made to do that particular task/job, and it was made for you. I am experiencing that right now in my job - it's adminstration AND kids. It was totally designed for me!

That sweet spot is exactly what God has made you to do. Even if it doesn't sound very spiritual. I like how he puts it: Refinishing furniture is every bit as holy as caring for the sick if that is what God has created you to do.

Even if you know what your calling is, you should still pick up this book. It was wonderful to be affirmed that yes, what I do IS from Him, and He is busting his buttons with pride that I am doing it. Even if it isn't a seemingly spiritual job, it's still important. It matters to Him. And He made me to do it.

2006-11-10T14:27:00.000-06:00

Remembrance Day is tomorrow, and while I will be thanking the good Lord for my and my children's freedom, I'm also going to be very sad. Tomorrow also marks the 4th anniversary that my Grandpa died. This is a particularly hard time of year for me, because everytime I see WWII stuff, I think of him, and then miss him more. And there are an awful lot of wonderful veterans out there right now that remind me of him.

Sigh.

I'm not really a morbid person! In fact, the rest of the year, I don't dwell on the fact my Grandpa is gone at all. He was so sick when he died, it was a blessing to let him go. I think if you've ever witnessed this in your own life, you can totally understand where I'm coming from.

I was totally my Grandpa's girl. When I was much younger, it was me and my two male cousins. My Grandpa wasn't like a lot of men who had to have sons. He had three girls, and he was proud of every single one of them. And because I am very much the spitting image of my mom, I became the apple of his eye, too.

I remember when I'd go to spend the weekend, he'd grab me to sit on his lap for a cuddle. I always resisted, but he always won. Truthfully, I wanted him to! As I grew older, I gave up the pretense, and willingly found my spot with my Grandpa. The last time I saw him, he was in the nursing home, and I couldn't sit on his lap, but he did get to hold my Emma. Somehow, it felt right to see her there instead.

When I was 10, my cousin Mikki was born. I was sooo jealous that she was a girl. I thought I would lose my place in my Grandpa's heart with this interloper. I never did. He had room for both!

Every so often I would spend the weekend with my grandparents so my mom could have some down time. What I remember most of those weekends was playing cards with my Grandpa and eating salt and vinegar chips. With dill pickle dip. I still love that combination!

When my Grandpa did fall ill, I didn't see much more of him before he died. I think I saw him two or three times. In a way, I'm glad, because now my mind wanders to those earlier days with him, instead of dwelling on his illness. I'm thankful for God's graciousness there.

I miss my Grandpa terribly - it took me a year before I could look at his picture again without hurting. Now I can look at him and see my kids in his face, and know he is right proud of all of them, because they're mine.

If you still are fortunate enough to have a grandpa in your life, give him a hug! You are indeed blessed.

Thursday Thirteen #5

2006-11-09T15:03:00.000-06:00

Thirteen Things I actually LIKE about winter!

The snow is officially here where I live! While this isn't my favourite time of year, there are some things that I find kind of enjoyable.

Sun sparkles on the snow.
My kids rosy cheeks when they come in from playing.
Hot chocolate with tons of marshmallows!
Buying new mittens ~ I have a thing for this. It's almost like buying shoes!
It's the only time of year I can wear a hat and look good in it.
The various snow things my kids create in the front yard. Right now they're working on a 1 ft fort.
Hot chocolate - oh, I already said that, didn't I?
A fire in the fireplace and marshmallows - yummy!
Hoar frost - even if it does mean it's ridiculously cold out!
My kids footprints in the snow.
Making snow angels (yes, even moms should make these! It's very therapeutic!)
Baking baking baking, and not heating up my house.
Hot chocolate with tons of marshmallows! (But I really like it!!)

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Yes, you're in the right place!

2006-11-09T14:55:00.000-06:00

I have to admit something - I am terrible at coming up with titles. Last night I was contemplating the verse I have as my tagline on my li'l o' blog, as well as the context, and I finally came upon the right name for my blog. Honestly, naming my kids wasn't this hard!!

I'm still waiting for the rest of my blog's makeover to be completed - there were some unforseen circumstances that arose for my designer (that sounds so cool! Wish I could afford one for my house!). So hopefully one day soon, you'll come to visit me and enjoy a whole new look. Keep checking!

Works for Me Wednesday - Goin' Bananas!

2006-11-08T19:19:00.000-06:00

We like bananas in my house. But some weeks we don't quite get through the bunch before they start getting too black (we're kinda picky that way!), so I end up throwing them in the freezer so I can use them for baking.

Then one day after freezing my lily white hands as I squished out bananas from their peels, I had an epiphany. Since I really only use frozen bananas for banana bread, and I have to thaw the bananas to mush them up, why not puree them BEFORE I throw them in the freezer? So that's what I do. I puree the really ripe bananas in my blender, put them in those handy-dandy Ziploc containers (the 1 cup size, so they're even pre-measured!) and toss them in the freezer until I get a craving for chocolate-chip banana bread. And the best part is, they are nice and smooth, so my kids don't get grossed out by mysterious chunks in their muffins.

Works for me! Visit www.rocksinmydryer.typepad.com/shannon/ for more handy-dandy tips.

(Boy, I hate my hubby's computer - I can't do anything fancy!)

Quote of the Week

2006-11-07T11:48:00.000-06:00

Last night I was explaining to Emma the different ways to cook steak so that it's actually edible. Kevin has a thing for really well done meat - so much so, that any hint of pink sends him to the microwave. This kind of offends my chef-sensibilities, but whatever. Emma has also picked up on this, and last night was panicking over the slight tinge of pink in the middle of the steak. So I explained to her that just a little pink is okay, and if it was all grey, it would be like eating shoe leather, it'd be so tough.

After actually enjoying most of her meat for a change (it was a new recipe - thank you, Rachel Ray!!), Emma was teaching Hannah the benefits of their steak not being overcooked:

"If it's not pink, it'll taste like shoelaces!"

My Worst Nightmare

2006-11-06T18:47:00.000-06:00

It's happened.

My sweet, adorable, little boy has done it. He defied me.

I was setting the dishwasher cycle after supper, and Ethan, being the good little helper he is, was trying to help by pushing all the other buttons at the same time. I told him not to, and he kept doing it! Mind you, it lasted all of two seconds, but still! He actually wouldn't stop when I told him to! I had to actually "spank" his hand!

(Okay, before you get all worried, I tapped his hand with the lightest feather touch imaginable. He didn't even flinch. But it did the trick. He stopped pushing the buttons on the dishwasher!)

And this isn't even an isolated incident. Yesterday in Sunday School (pardon me, Kids Tracks) he would not sit down when I asked him to. Even when I used my mean mommy voice. And today again, he totally ignored me when I told him to leave the TV alone. And for the last few nights, he's refused to eat his supper- and even had tantrums to boot.

What am I going to do?!

I'm sure compared to other two year olds, he's still pretty much an angel. I'm just not used to getting frustrated with him for his behaviour. He's always so cute and funny. A little mischievous at times, perhaps. But never defiant.

I guess the honeymoon is over.

Next thing I know he's going to favour his daddy over me!

How to Lose Weight At Halloween

2006-11-06T18:46:00.000-06:00

Two words: You don't.

'Nuff said!

It's beginning to look a lot like...

2006-11-03T15:57:00.000-06:00

CHRISTMAS!!

Yes, I am in the holiday spirit already. I think it happened around the time I scarfed done the last chocolate halloween bar. Everything left is just superfluous. Now it's time to get down to business!

I love Christmas. I love buying too many presents and spending too much money on the people I love. (And yet my husband still loves me!) I love baking too many goodies and eating them. And I LOVE decorating the house.

This year the bug has bitten me a bit early - I already bought a Christmas decorating magazine today. And I'm half way through it. I am so excited to get started! I even bought new shelves today for over our fireplace. Okay, those aren't Christmasy, and I as I told my friend today, they aren't coming down for 20 years after the time I had putting them up! But I can already envision the Christmasy decorations that I will be buying to display on them. (Sorry, honey!)

No other time of the year gets me as excited. I do get excited in the spring, when it's time to plant my new flowers. But it's not the same! Besides, I don't really bake to celebrate getting dirt under my fingernails.

So, as soon as it snows, my snowmen are coming out of hibernation for the winter. And pretty soon I'll start digging out my other decorations to put out. And then the baking will start. And the eating! And you're invited to come over and enjoy it all with me. Maybe I'll even get a new camera for Christmas so I can share pictures with you (HINT HINT, honey!!).

Merry Christmas! :)

Quote of the day

2006-11-03T15:56:00.000-06:00

Hannah: " I think we need a break from Hallo'leen candy."

What makes a good mommy?

2006-11-02T18:46:00.000-06:00

That was the question we were given for homework last Tuesday at Bible Study, and again this week because no one actually remembered to do it. (Obviously having a good memory is not a requirement!) We're discussing the book The Mother Daughter Connection this term - a book on my fall reading list (I know, I know, that's cheating! But I'm reading it aren't I?!).

Anyways, throughout the book are little "quotes" from girls about what they wish their moms would or would not do. And this spurred the question, "So what exactly makes a good mom?!"

I quizzed my kids last night - I didn't say "Am I a good mom?". Really. I didn't! That would kind of be unfair. I just wanted to know what they thought made a for a good mom. Their responses:

No tantrums (do I have those?!)
Gives hugs and kisses.
Takes care of me.
Cooks me food (I should have reminded them of this tonight when they were complaining over their supper!)

There were a couple of more, but remember, having a good memory is not a requirement of good mommy-hood. I forgot them!

As I pondered their list, I wanted to find the single thread that weaves these characteristics together. And then I had it - love. Pure, unconditional love. Sure, I can give hugs and kisses, cook, and take care of my kids. But if I don't do it out of love, I won't keep it up for long. There's nothing in it for me, otherwise! I mean really - how often do kids actually think to express their gratitude to their moms all on their own? Not very often!

I don't pretend to be the best mom in the world. I'm not. (Hence the tantrum statement!) But I truly love and adore my kids because they are God's precious gift to me. And because of that, my kids actually think I am a good Mom. Really!

Love covers a mulititude of sins. ~ 1 Peter 4:8

Works for Me Wednesday

2006-11-02T14:07:00.000-06:00

I know. It' Thursday. But I'm operating on our family time - late!
(On a side note - I'm a usually punctual. I hate lateness. But it came with my hubby!)

The last three months have definitely been a time of adjustment for me as I started working again. And not just one job, but two! My house has been in a state of chaos pretty much ever since. And if you know me well, that is NOT normal! It stresses me out!!!

So this week, I came up with a system. Because I work two mornings, and one full day, with the other two weekday mornings full of other things, all my house work gets put off until the afternoon. Which is when I used to veg when I stayed at home everyday. And is also when I still want to veg!

My new system is this: I do my standard daily stuff right after lunch, before I exercise. This gets me motivated to clean and get it done! I like my work out time - no one is allowed to bug me! After my work out, I am banned from the computer until I get my special chores done. I have a cleaning system all worked out for my by the Fly Lady (don't ask, just look!). Then I am free to blog to my heart's content. Of course, some days, like now, I break my rule. I haven't exercised yet, but my floor is still wet. I don't want to kill myself!!

So, that's my system. So far the results are a cleaner, tidier house, a family who feels cared for, and a happier ME.

For more (and likely better!) tips, visit here.

Why is it...

2006-10-30T16:13:00.000-06:00

....my son fills his diaper every time I'm blogging?!!

Lessons in Prayer part 3 of 3

2006-10-30T15:55:00.000-06:00

I didn't forget! I've just been putting this off for awhile! I figured it would come in handy on a day where I'm out of ideas. And so it has!

Emma - this is a bit harder for me. I can't say there is any one moment that stands out to me. I do remember one time when she was maybe Ethan's age. She was playing outside and we told her not to do something. Next thing we know, she's sitting on the steps with her chubby little hands folded and her eyes screwed up tight, earnestly praying that God would help her not to do whatever it was we had told her. My mother-in-law almost cried, it was so cute!

Sometimes when Emma prays, she says pretty much the same thing she does every other night. Thank you for today, please help me get a good sleep and help me not have any bad dreams, etc. But, it's what I don't hear that stands out to me. Emma loves Jesus wholeheartedly. I remember when she asked Jesus into her heart - we were at Disney on Ice, and she was not quite 3. Emma remembers, too! (More on her amazing memory another day!!) Since then, God is her main motivation when she does things. Usually. I mean, she is 7!

Emma has her daddy's love of information. So, rather than sit through "baby Bible stories", as she puts it, she likes reading her "grown-up" Bible on her own. And instead of praying what's really on her heart when it's family prayer time, she'd rather pour her heart out to God when she's alone.

This made an impression on me, because Emma is generally our attention-grabber. Being the oldest, she expects everyone to pay attention to her at all times! I just assumed that she would kind of want to show off during prayer time, but I was wrong (shocking, I know!) Emma already realizes that that intimacy with God is special, and not about showing off. It's about Him, and not so much about her.

In the Bible, Jesus warns about praying for show. Instead, he advises us to shut ourselves in a private place, and let our prayers be for God's ears alone. We have an old story book with that message in it that we used to read to Emma - I'm so thankful that she has put it into action.

So, that's what I've learned from Emma - prayer is my special alone time with God. It is my time where I can pour out everything on my heart and know God is not judging me for it. Rather, He is using that quiet time to speak volumes to me, to teach me, and to guide me in His ways.

I guess I learned something from my kids afterall!

The best of friends

2006-10-29T20:09:00.000-06:00

My Hannah is very loyal. It takes her awhile sometimes to warm up to people, but when she decides she likes you, that's it. She'll love you for life. Hannah doesn't have as much of the social butterfly tendencies as her big sister does, but I think she makes up for it in the quality of her friendships.

Her newest friend is named Annabelle. Hannah and Annabelle first met at the library one morning, and that same week discovered they are in the same preschool class. They've been inseparable since. I'm told Hannah always refers to Annabelle at preschool as "Annabelle, my best friend." I'm glad her friend reciprocates this loyalty - sometimes I worry for Hannah. I don't want to see her get hurt by disappointment!

Recently Hannah told me that Annabelle was in her Sunday School class at church a few times. I thought this was odd, seeing as how I had never seen her mom at our church, and I was pretty sure they attended in our small town instead of in the city. But Emma backed her up, telling me she saw her name tag, and giving me a brief description of Hannah's friend. I was pretty excited for Hannah!

I mentioned it to my friends the other night, and one of them, who just happens to be the Children's Ministry director said to me "Are you sure it wasn't Annabelle ______?" (I know her dad, and she is NOT the same girl!) It never occurred to me that Hannah could be wrong - I mean this WAS her best friend we were talking about!

So today I was talking to Kevin about it after Hannah mentioned seeing Annabelle again this morning. Kevin said to her "Are you sure it was Annabelle from preschool?" Emma replied, "Well, Daddy, that's what her nametag said!" (Emma has never actually met Hannah's preschool friend, which didn't occur to me until this moment! How would she know?!) Kevin looks at me and says "I'm pretty sure it's not the same girl - this one is part Native." Right then I knew who he was talking about - and it was definitely NOT preschool Annabelle. She's very Mennonite!

Kevin turns to Hannah and says again "Are you sure it was your friend, Annabelle?" to which Hannah replies "I don't know!"

I love that my daughter befriended a new girl because of her name. She just automatically assumed that if her name was Annabelle, she had to be her friend. The good thing that has come out of this, is Hannah is genuinely friends with "church Annabelle", too. Today they hugged goodbye before leaving for home. And this makes me glad, too, because Hannah's new friend is someone the other kids don't really play with. She comes from a family where her dad has kids with a few women and doesn't have all the things most kids do. Who knows - maybe Hannah wouldn't have connected with her if it hadn't of been for her name.

I talked to Hannah later about how glad I am she has a new friend to show Jesus' love to. She just came back and told me "I've never had two friends the SAME, Mommy!"

Indeed!

Makeover Madness!

2006-10-28T18:40:00.000-06:00

This may shock and surprise you, but I'm a girly-girl. I like pink (although it did take two girls to get me to that stage!). I like to do my nails whenever the mood strikes me. I dream about pedicures and chocolate. I love shopping. And I really like getting my hair done. Probably in part because I can't seem to do it myself as well, but mostly because I find it so relaxing. And let's face it - it's nice to have someone focus entirely on you and you alone for an hour or two!

My hair is my big splurge. I'm kind of embarrassed by how much I pay, but it looks so nice, that I can justify it! Plus, I'm more apt to spend on my kids than me, so this is the one thing I make sure I do every so often. Today was the big splurge - cut and colour. Thank goodness my honey never sees those bills! He might have a heart attack!

I just realized, though, that I have almost the exact same hair as the writer of my fav blog - she posted her own hair makeover earlier this week. We could be sisters! I just want to assure anyone familiar with her blog, and especially she herself, that I am not stalking her!! It was just one of those weird coincidences - and we both have fabulous stylists!

My blog is getting a makeover pretty quick, too. Like my hair, I won't know what it looks like until its all done. But I'm so excited! It's like getting the house redecorated - but cheaper!

Now if I could just convince Kevin my wardrobe needs a makeover to match my hair, I'd be happy! But he's not buying it - literally!

Thursday Thirteen #4

2006-10-26T17:43:00.000-06:00

Thirteen Things I like about having girls (of which I have two!)

Pretty much everything can be pink!
Being able to borrow their hair doodads when I run out of my own.
They want to scrapbook with me - and even let me use their stuff!
They actually want to learn to do housework for me.
Girls don't play with violent toys - usually.
Lots of cuddles - it's expected!
Only girls can understand that sometimes you cry for no good reason.
They have an innate understanding of the necessity of chocolate.
I can convince them to watch reruns of my favourite old shows with me - and they like them.
They let me eat their Easy Bake baking.
They actually sit for more than 5 seconds at a time.
They can actually be quiet for more than 5 seconds at a time (although, this is a rarity!)
Giggles - need I say more?

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

On the case

2006-10-25T16:34:00.000-06:00

Yesterday my girls were playing detectives. Ethan had lost his notebook, and I couldn't find it anywhere. I figured getting my girls to help find it would take care of two things - a way to occupy them as I cleaned up, and to actually find the silly thing!

Emma grabbed her notebook - they're the thing to have in our house these days! - and eagerly began the task of searching for clues. But first things first - Emma informed Hannah they had to pick out their names. I love that they have their priorities straight!

Once they decided to be Detective Emma and Detective Hannah (hey, no one said they had to be great names!), the girls were on the case. They scoured the living room, picking up toys to make their job easier (man, I love this game!), they searched the bedrooms, and they looked all over the basement, but to no avail, although Hannah did find some other odds and ends she herself had misplaced. Emma even questioned Ethan as to when he last saw his notebook, but as she said to me, "You can't really get much out of a two year old!"

They never did find it - in fact I discovered it after lunch today in a dark corner of the basement. But I loved how wholeheartedly they threw themselves into their search. And for a few minutes, there was peace in the house as the two sisters worked together. And my kitchen is actually clean. Gotta love that!

Fall Reading Challenge

2006-10-24T15:07:00.000-06:00

It's a month into the Fall into Reading challenge (if you've forgotten what I'm talking about, go here.) I've read three of the books I planned to, added two more and finished them, and have totally neglected all but one of my non-fiction picks. But that's no surprise - I'd rather read a good novel anyday!

The two books I added, and read, to my list are worth noting. All the Way Home by Anna Tatlock and Divine by Karen Kingsbury .
These were both books I couldn't put down - in fact last night my honey called me boring because I spent the whole evening reading!

All the Way Home was a great book for me to read after finishing the series I read on the Civil War. It began right around the time of the bombing of Pearl Habour, telling the story of a Japanese girl who wanted to be identified as American, and an American girl hungry for the love of family. They were torn apart when the Japanese were sent to interment camps after the overreaction of the American government. When they meet up again, it's 1965, the time when Black Americans were finally beginning to to break free from the bonds of racism.

Divine is probably one of my favourite Kingsbury books, besides the September 11th series she did. I have to admit, the last few books of hers I've read have just made me impatient, so I was glad to read this one! It's a modern day story of Mary Magdalene, following a young girl through the horror of abuse and her eventual redemption through Jesus.

Both books deal with bondage, with discrimination, and end with hope. Both books made me think beyond my happy little life, and both books made me so thankful for how easy we really have it. It's so easy to get caught up in the dailyness of life, and start feeling sorry for yourself because of the little things. Being forced to look at REAL suffering sure makes you forget about those little bothersome things, let me tell you!

So if you're looking for something to read this weekend, grab one of these! Happy reading!

Proof kids tattle about anything #1

2006-10-24T13:39:00.000-06:00

Mommy, Hannah is pushing the broom!

Proud Mama

2006-10-24T13:26:00.000-06:00

Allow me to gloat a little today, please! I think so often as Mommy's we feel guilty and like we've failed because we notice all the imperfect things our kids are prone to do more than the good ones. But today, I want to share my pride in my kids with you!

Last week was Store Night at Awana. Emma loves Store Night. She works really hard to memorize all her verses so she can get her shares to spend at the "store". She even begins counting all her shares two weeks ahead of time, dreaming of all the treasures she can buy.

Because she does all the hard work for her shares, we expect Emma will spend them all on herself. Besides, Hannah gets a goodie bag in Cubbies on the same night, and Ethan doesn't really notice what's going on. The only thing Emma hears from us on these nights is "good for you for working so hard!"

Well, this past week, Emma really made me proud. Yes, she spent the majority of her shares on a puppy for herself. But then she did the totally unselfish. She went ahead and picked something out special for her sister, and even got her brother a little box of Smarties. Emma could have used the rest of her shares for candy for herself, or even saved them for next time. But no, Emma thought of her siblings and decided to show her love for them that night.

I was so proud of her! And I made sure I told her. This was one of those instances I wanted to reinforce her awesome behaviour. What's really cool is it carried over to Hannah, who the next week after coming home from a birthday party, unselfishly divided up the candy in her goody bag with Emma and Ethan. I'm telling you, I was feeling like a pretty good Mom that day!

I realize that I can't take ALL the credit. I mean, in the same day these were the same kids fighting over a piece of paper and a box of crayons! But it sure made me thankful for just how wonderful my kids really are. Sometimes I need moments like these to remember that.

2006-10-23T13:11:00.000-06:00

Last night it happened. I've been avoiding it for 8 years, hoping it wouldn't come up for another 8. But yesterday, Emma asked the question.

Okay, it's not THE question, thank goodness!! Although I anticipate that one any day now! No, Emma asked the other question I've been dreading. She asked how long my parents have been married.

Now, on the surface, that doesn't seem like such a bad question, does it?! But I've never told Emma that I actually have a biological father out there (and who happens to live only 20 mins away, at that) who doesn't have anything to do with us. She's always assumed my step-dad is my real dad.

She's really not that far off. He IS my "real" dad. He's the one who has been there for me since I was a little girl. He's the one who gave me away at my wedding, and he's the one who gets the honour of being called "Grandpa". He spent time with me, encouraged me, and even disciplined me. He's the one I think of as my Dad.

So, Emma got the Coles notes version. My parents have been married for 26ish years, and my mom was married to my "real" dad before that. Kevin explained that just like her one aunty is adopted, so, in a way, am I. And then we waited. I didn't really want to get into why I think we never hear from my biological father. And thankfully, she didn't ask. But she will. I know she will, because she's Emma and every bit her daddy's girl. She's going to want to know why she's never met him. As painful as it will be for me to share that with her, I know it's going to hurt her more. She has such a sweet, loving heart, that to have the knowledge that someone doesn't want to know us is going to hurt.

Hmmm, maybe that other question isn't so bad after all!

Thursday Thirteen Edition #4

2006-10-19T14:55:00.000-06:00

Wednesdays are my day to work all day. That means that my husband and two youngest are home all day without me telling, I mean asking, them to pick up after themselves. You can imagine the mess I come home to! Unfortunately, because we rush out the door an hour after I get home, nothing actually gets done about the mess until Thursday afternoon, when I am done work for the week. Did I mention it's all pretty much on the floor? That's why you'll probably never be invited to my house for a visit until Friday! Thus, this week's theme:

Thirteen Things I Picked-Up Today.

Pink sticky notes - about 25 of them.
A squashed chocolate-covered raisin.
A pink piece of paper that had my husband's name on it.
A lid.
Two bowls, oh no wait. Make that three.
Mr. Brown Can Moo. Can You? (Ethan's favourite book)
A ziploc bag.
A spoon.
A plastic shovel and pail.
Cereal - not in a box or anything else. Just cereal.
A scarf and toque.
"Someone's" Spiderman light-up shoes.
A fruit bar wrapper.

There's more, but I'm out of numbers! Don't worry - my house is all ready for you to come over now. I even washed the floor. But my family really shouldn't wonder why Mommy is so stressed when she comes home Wednesday night anymore!

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Prayer request

2006-10-17T16:11:00.000-06:00

You know, I came down here to my computer to remind you, my friends, to make sure you take care of that self-exam thing if you haven't already, because I love you and I want to keep you around. And then I received an email from my friend Tracy requesting prayer - she has a mass on her heart that they need to assess. For those of you who don't know her, my dear friend has been through so much this past year. She and her husband were finally successful in conceiving their baby, and then in January her heart almost gave out and we almost lost her and the baby. Thank goodness God saw fit to spare her and their little one - they are truly miracles!

Can you please pray for my friend? Pray for peace and healing. Pray for her husband, and her baby. And pray we get to keep her around for a good while, because she's definitely someone special. Thank you.

Fives

2006-10-17T11:22:00.000-06:00

My fav blog In the Midst of It had this meme today and tagged all her readers to join in. So, being the follower I sometimes am, I'm joinin'! Plus, it looked fun.

If I had 5 minutes to myself, I'd:

I'd jump up and down for joy.
I'd eat all the chocolate I want, where I want, and not have to justify WHY I'm eating it.
I'd play my favourite internet game.
I'd just sit.
I'd watch a daytime show that actually has adults in it!

If I had $5 to spend, I'd:

Buy chocolate.
Buy chocolate.
Buy chocolate.
Buy chocolate.
Buy chocolate. (what else can you buy for $5?!!)

5 items I'd love to get rid of:

Our storage room (and everything in it!).
All those teeny toys no one plays with.
Diapers.
The boxes in our garage.
The spiders in our garage (yuck!).

5 items I wouldn't part with:

Chocolate. (okay, yes, I'm having serious cravings today!)
My blistex - especially now.
My kitchen island.
My coffee maker.
Okay, and my kids!

5 words or phrases I'd love to hear:

Spend as much as you want, honey...
...and why don't you buy a new couch while you're at it!
Yes, Mommy.
I'll clean the house for you. No problem!
Honey, I'm cleaning out the garage today...and the storage room...and I'm getting the roof fixed! And it will all be done by the end of today!

Quote of the week

2006-10-16T13:50:00.000-06:00

Ethan, as he watched the snow falling from the front door last night, his first real experience with the white stuff:

"Look Mommy, pa-corn (popcorn)!"

There's something about Chuck E.

2006-10-16T13:37:00.000-06:00

I'm back! We had an interesting and educational time on our little vacation. The first lesson we learned is to make sure we tell my Grandma exactly what time we will go see her to avoid getting a 7:30 in the morning wake-up call with the information that she will be there in 15 mins! Twice! (Bless her heart!)

My kids were so good this weekend - not that that should surprise you. They are perfect after all! But when all you can do for a full day is sit around in either a cramped apartment or hotel room, you'd be perfectly within your rights to get cranky. But they didn't! They were really little angels! In fact, we were so proud of them, that on our way home yesterday we decided to take the kids to Chuck E Cheese for lunch. Never been? Well, let me share!

When you walk in, you are stamped with a number unique to your family, so that you can only leave with the kids you came with (although, I think they need to make sure you also leave with all your kids, too!). Then the fun begins. The kids were so excited to see all the games they could play - and they all cost one token each. You can pretty much spend all 38 tokens and be done - I like that! Afterwards we ate lunch there. Whereas the tokens are inexpensive, the food is where they make their money! Who ever heard of spending $35 on hotdogs and pizza?! But it was worth it - our kids' deserved it!

Actually, afterwards Kevin and I emphasized how proud we were of them this weekend, and that is why we decided to take them out for a special treat. As the realization dawned on them that yes, good behavior does get rewarded, you could see how they were already deciding to be good next time we go visit great-grandma. Hopefully it carries over to other things, too!

It gave Kev and I great joy to be able to do something nice for our kids. It made me glad that we reserve the big rewards for special occasions. I love giving my kids things, but this was different. This is something they actually will remember. It made me think about how God must feel when we do something really good and He gets to bless us for our obedience. He must feel pride over His children, but even more, joy that they did what He asked. I don't expect my kids to make that connection just yet, but I hope one day when they think back to this weekend, they get it. And I look forward to many more days of being able to bless my kids for their goodness.

On vacation...

2006-10-12T16:43:00.000-06:00

...sort of. We're off to see my grandma for the weekend, and I will be without a computer for THREE whole days!!!! I don't know how I will survive!

See ya Monday!

Interesting facts about YOU!

2006-10-12T16:36:00.000-06:00

I've been learning a lot abut your habits lately. I don't know if you have noticed, but at the bottom of my blog is a teeny little counter that shows me how popular I am. I get very excited when I hit milestones, such as the 100 mark I hit a week or so ago. It really takes very little to make me happy!

With the counter, I get a traffic report once a week. It shows me how many page hits I get, how long people stay, and what days and times are the busiest. Did you know that on average, you visit me around 2 o'clock in the afternoon? And that most of you come see me on Thursdays, usually to see my Thursday list (of which I do not have today. Sorry to disappoint!). Most of you linger for your visit less than 5 minutes, which tells me that you're all quick readers, too!

But most of all my counter tells me that you keep coming back, which makes me happy. Because I am using this as a way to keep you updated on the happenings of my family, and for some reason, you actually want to know. So thank you for stopping by. I enjoy our time together!

Works for Me Wednesday - a day early!

2006-10-10T14:40:00.000-06:00

Okay, so I'm still in holiday mode from the weekend. I can't help it! I sat down at my computer today and realized I had nothing to say!!! Shocking, I know! But then I remembered this and I decided to do it a day early - because tomorrow I will be at the office working hard all day and without any time to chat with my friends.

This isn't exactly the most profound tip in the universe, but I like it. I credit a friend from church who shared this "cheesy" tidbit with me. My kids love pizza (okay, I should clarify. Hannah and Ethan love pizza. Emma does not!). Sometimes I buy pizza from Sobey's, but when I am hit by the happy homemaker bug, I actually make pizza for the kids. Yes, this IS possible! I buy whole wheat pizza crust (and it comes with sauce) because I am the Healthy Snack lady, and that's what Healthy Snack ladies do, and part skim mozzerella cheese. Then I throw all the cheese in my food processor to shred it up so I don't skin my pretty little hands. I never do use all the cheese for one pizza, so (and this is where the tip comes in, so pay attention!) I divide it in half and put half on the pizza, and the other half in a zipper bag and throw it in the freezer so it doesn't go bad. It's good for a few months, and all ready for whenever our next pizza craving/homemaker bug hits.

It works for me! For more handy tips on just about anything, visit Rocks in My Dryer

It's so easy...

2006-10-07T19:19:00.000-06:00

All my kids love music. It's ingrained in them. From the day they were born, Kevin and I have sung to them pretty much every night. And while I confess we don't do it so much with the girls anymore, I still make a point of it with Ethan at bedtime.

Ethan has a repetoire of favourites - Veggie Tales (of course!), Dora, Zacchaeus (you know "Zacchaeus was a wee little man...") Jesus Loves Me, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. But his current favourite (that only Mommy can sing, thank you very much!) is Wobbley Whoopsy from the Doodlebops. He likes it because it's an action song, and Mommy makes it pretty silly.

I suppose I should be encouraging my son to prefer his Sunday School songs over TV ones, but really, when I see him shaking his hair and turning in a circle, in the dark, mind you!, I can't help it. After all, he'll only be like this for so long. In another year or so, I'm going to miss shaking our bodies like we just don't care!

Lessons in Prayer - part 2

2006-10-06T15:51:00.000-06:00

It's Hannah's turn to pray! At our house, when we're all done reading the Bible before bed, we have a specific order we follow as to who prays when. Not because I'm some control-freak or anything (ahem!), but because it reduces the fighting over who gets to go first! (And now you know the truth of our "spiritual" moments!)

Hannah usually goes first. It started when she was old enough to pray with us, and only because as the younger sister, she sometimes feels the need to go first. I can understand that! At any rate, I love Hannah's prayers. They're usually short and to the point, but almost always from the depths of her sweet, little heart.

Over the summer, Hannah had a couple of warts on her toes. We have no idea where she got them from, but in order to save her from mortification, we just explained it was like her toes having a cold. They'd go away, but she had to be careful so that no one else would get the "cold". It meant wearing socks, bathing alone, etc., but she was a trooper. I was so proud of her!

Kevin shared with Hannah how he had had warts on his hands when he was a little boy. After months of his mom trying everything she could think of, they just suddenly disappeared. When his mom asked where they went, Kev explained to her that he had asked Jesus to take them away, and He did.

Hannah was impressed by this tidbit of information, so she, too, prayed about her warts. But it wasn't so much that she prayed that impressed me - it was what she said when she did. Hannah prayed "Thank you, Jesus, for taking away my warts. Amen."

Now, you could argue she's only 4, and it was simply a mistake in grammar that led her to thank Jesus for something he hadn't done yet. But I looked at it a little differently. I saw a child's pure and simple faith, believing 100% that Jesus would heal her toes. And you know what, He did. And she didn't get any more than the 2 small ones we dealt with. And boy, was she ever filled with joy when she saw how Jesus answered her prayer!

So today's lesson is this: when you ask Jesus to do something, do you believe He will, or do you just ask because it's the thing to do? Do you fully believe that God can do anything, even those little things that we assume aren't important to Him? And are you filled with joy and awe when He answers? I know this is something I can work on, and I'm thankful I have three great kids to learn from!

"And he said: 'I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.'" ~ Matthew 18:3-4

Thursday Thirteen Edition #3

2006-10-05T13:05:00.000-06:00

Today my co-worker kept bugging me about how perfect I seemingly am. So today I felt a need to list theThirteen Reasons why I am NOT perfect!

My sock drawer is in a horrible state of disarray - as is every closet and hidden corner of my house.
I like to eat cheesecake for my morning coffee break (yum!).
I cheat on my diet (see #2!) every day.
I have no idea how to do my hair in any style other than down or in a ponytail.
Right now, my finger nails are dirty.
If $1 million dropped from ths sky, I'd want to spend it instead of trying to return it.
I'm terrible at sticking to a budget - in fact, I don't even have one!
I like playing internet games instead of doing my housework.
My flower beds haven't been cleaned out for the winter yet - and there's even deadheads still on them! GASP!
My Fall into Reading Challenge lists more learning books than novels - but I'd much rather read the novels!
I'm a terrible typist.
I procrastinate - a lot.
My roots are almost long enough that if I cut my hair short, you'd never know I colour it!

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Lessons in Prayer - part 1

2006-10-03T13:15:00.000-06:00

Today I am beginning a three part series on prayer. (oooh, I just sounded like my pastor!)
Don't leave yet - I'm not about to launch into some deep, theological lesson. I'm hardly qualified! I am going to share with you the prayers of my sweet, perfect, little children (ahem!), and the lessons I am learning from them. And since I have three of these little angels, I'm doing it in three parts. Understand?!

Let's look at my son, Ethan, first. If you haven't figured it out yet, Ethan is very much the baby of our family. And because he's the only boy, he's even more of a novelty. So he tends to get a little spoiled. No, not spoiled. Overindulged. (Okay, okay, I realize they both mean pretty much the same thing!)

Ethan's prayers are probably the most repetitive of the bunch. But you know exactly what's important to him when you listen in on Mitchell Prayer time. His prayers usually go something like this:

"Thank you, Jesus, for this food. Amen. Thank you for Mommy and Daddy and Emma and Hannah and Ethan and Grandma and Grandpa and Auntie Shauna and Auntie Donna and Mommy and Daddy and MOMMY! Amen. Thank you we go church today and get new Veggie Tales. Amen."

First of all, I want to point out that Mommy appears most often in this prayer, thank you very much. Of course, he does mention food before me, but I'll overlook that for his sake! But these are the things Ethan treasures most in his little life - food, family, and a good movie.

Actually, my appreciation list isn't too different than his! But just stop for a sec and reflect on the simplicity of his prayers. He has identified two very important aspects of all our lives - and things I know I often overlook when I am praying. God supplies us with all we need (for Ethan, it's food!), and He blesses us with excellent support systems (for Ethan, it's family). As for the Veggie Tales thing, well, God does let us have fun once in awhile!

So I am going to take a lesson from my little buddy and remember to thank God for the "basics" today. And I'll make sure to add you, my friends, to the list as well. Although Ethan might be mentioned first. I hope that's okay!

Big What?!

2006-10-02T14:37:00.000-06:00

Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday nights are bath night for the kids in our house. My typical routine is to plunk Ethan and Hannah in the tub, clean them up, and then let Emma have a bath by herself. She is the oldest, so I feel she deserves this privilege! Anyways, nine times out of ten, Hannah and Ethan end up fighting over something like space, or dumping water over each other. You know, typical two and four year old fighting! So when they do get along, I tend to enjoy it and let them play in the tub a little longer than usual.

The other night was one of those blissful moments. The nice thing about these, is I get to finish cleaning up from supper in peace. Don't panic - I do pop my head in every minute or two, and I keep an ear open for trouble! I'm a little paranoid, still!

Anyways, as I said, Hannah and Ethan were actually getting along for five consecutive minutes, and in this time, they invented a new game. I wasn't really paying that close attention to what they were saying - I heard laughing and splashing, and was happy. But then the words "big bum!" floated into my subconscious, and I had to see what was happening.

I'm not sure who thought up the game (could have been either, really!), but it consisted of one of them sitting on the little ledge inside the tub, sliding down as hard as they could and yelling "big bum!" at the resulting splash. They thought this was hilarious!

Only kids could think of a game like that - I mean, really, what would you think if your friends decided to start a rousing game of "big bum"! (Get your mind out of the gutter - this is a G-rated blog!) Okay, I could probably see guys thinking it was funny, but do you honestly think women would play this game?! We are so sensitive about the size of our posterior, are we not? We'd probably end up crying because someone called our butts big!

And so, I learned from my kids, once again, that anything can be fun if you have a mind to make it so. Which leads me to question all the toys in my basement - but that's another thing altogether!

Think Pink

2006-10-01T13:45:00.000-06:00

I only know one person who has had breast cancer - but what scared me was she was my age. So today I am using my little ol' blog to remind you, my dearest friends, to do yourself and those who love you a favour. Do a self-exam. Please. I want to keep you around for a long time. And remind someone else you love to do the same.

Let's be like our little girls and think pink!

Book Review -A Light to My Path by Lynn Austin

2006-09-29T14:06:00.000-06:00

Happy Friday! I am celebrating the end of the week with my first book review of the Fall in to Reading Challenge!

I just finished reading A Light to My Path by Lynn Austin. This is the third in her Refiner's Fire Series. Each book in the series took a different look at the Civil War - one from the north's viewpoint, one from the south's, and this last one, which was told from the slave's point of view.

I absolutely loved this book. The first thing I noticed was a tie in to the first. Each of these books can be read without having read the others - I read them totally out of order myself! But in the first novel, a girl witnesses her father selling a slave the same age as herself, and sees him being literally ripped away from his mother. This third book catches up with him and tells his story, as well as that of his wife, Anna.

I don't want to ruin the book for you - and I can't do it justice, anyways! You should just read it. But all three of these books, and especially this one, helped me personally understand how God interevened on behalf of the slaves to set them free. And in reading their story, it helps me better understand how God set me free from the bondage of sin through Jesus.

If you want a nice, light read, this isn't a book for you. You will get uncomfortable. But you will also rejoice with them as they learn God's plans are to prosper them and not to harm them. (I can tell you that, because we all know how the war ended!)

Happy Reading!

The other books in the series are:
Candle in the Darkness
Fire by Night

Thursday Thirteen Edition #2

2006-09-28T14:54:00.000-06:00

Thirteen EthanismsYes, I am subjecting you to the cute things my son says. I wouldn't be a good Mommy if I didn't!

Fishy Milky - Ethan's favourite sippy cup...and it can only have milk in it, thank you very much.
Just a sec! - said whenever Mommy tells Ethan it's time to do, well, anything!
Gimme a kiss. (sometimes How 'bout a kiss.) always followed by...
Gimme a hug. (sometimes How 'bout a hug) and usually right when Mommy is rushing out the door for work, of course!
How 'bout.... (anything other than what Mommy has suggested!)
Ahh, not today! (generally in answer to Mommy's reminder that it's bedtime.)
Thank you, Jesus, for Mommy and Daddy and Emma and Hannah and Esan and Grandma and Grandpa and Auntie Shauna and Auntie Donna and Mommy and Daddy and Emma and Hannah and Mommy and Daddy and Mommy!
I come, too! Please, Mommy, please! (to pretty much anywhere Mommy is going!)
I do it! (again, to pretty much anything.)
'UPPER!!! (how he calls Daddy to supper when Daddy is working downstairs, and always in his very loudest voice.)
Hey! .... humph. (translation: That's not fair!)
You're welcome, Miss Welcome. (when Mommy calls him Mr. Manners...because he does have good manners!)

Before I list the last one, you have to understand something about my boy. He LOVES Veggie Tales and Larry Boy - and that's putting it mildly. Ethan's whole day revolves around which Veggie Tales or Larry Boy movie he's going to watch that day. And he thinks the sole purpose of going to church on Sundays is so he can get a new Veggie Tales or Larry Boy video from the library. This explains why we regularly hear Ethan quote Larry Boy by saying:

13. "I am that HERO!" (and I think he really thinks he is!)

I hope enjoyed that glimpse into the personality of my son. Can you see why I enjoy him so much?!

Happy Thursday!

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

2006-09-25T18:10:00.000-06:00

Lately I've been trying so hard to find time for myself. Between work, church, the kids, and Kevin, I'm stretched to my limits. I begin to feel stressed when anything extra is added to the mix ~ which is often!

My time alone is precious to me. It gives me time to stop thinking and doing, and simply just be. But it's very limited. Usually within 5 minutes someone is calling me, needing me to do something for them.

"But the crowds found out where he (Jesus) was going, and they followed him. And he welcomed them, teaching them about the Kingdom of God." Luke 9:11

I could (and often do!) feel sorry for myself. But then I read this verse and it hit me ~ Jesus was busy and He needed time away, too. He totally knows where I am coming from. But, ultimately He knew His purpose for being here ~ to teach others about the love of God. So even when it might have been inconvenient, He still stopped and took time with those who needed Him. And He did it in a loving manner.

OUCH!

I'm not always good about the loving manner part! Sometimes I am fiercely protective of my time. But when I evaluate what I am doing ~ I mean really evaluate ~ ninety percent of the time I could probably ~ no, definitely ~ let it go in order to lovingly attend to my family. There are times when it might be okay to ask them to wait. But I really need to work on taking an attitude more like Jesus, instead of responding in an impatient way. After all, my purpose in life isn't all that different.

(For a good book about finding time for you ~ 'cause that's still important! ~ check out Taking Care of the Me in Mommy by Lisa Whelchel)

A puzzling situation

2006-09-25T13:06:00.000-06:00

Knowing that people might actually be reading this has caused me to start looking for things to write about. Kevin informed me that no one reads a blog that isn't updated regularly. Then he gave me some "ideas". Well, maybe I'll use them when I'm stuck for something more interesting! (Believe me, friends, you do NOT want to know!)

Today Ethan wanted to do a Dora puzzle with me - he loves Dora. I think he believes she's real. If he could have Dora and Veggie Tales come over to play, he'd be in heaven. Anyways, I was busy cleaning up from lunch, so being the good mommy that I am, I asked Hannah to help him with the puzzle. Actually, I told Ethan to ask Hannah, throwing in that Hannah is so good at puzzles and she could show him how to do it. It worked. I've found appealing to my kids' egos does wonders! (Does this make me a bad mom?!)

So, like I said, I've been on the lookout for blogworthy items, so I decided to pay attention to what they were saying while I was cleaning out the microwave. (It also helped me not be too grossed out by the microwave's condition - how does all that stuff get in there?)

Overheard snippets of conversation - mostly one-sided - between Hannah and Ethan:
(In response to Ethan looking at the picture on the box) "Ethan, this is no time for looking, we have a puzzle to do!"

(Later, as the puzzle is being finished) "Ethan James! Good work! You did that piece all by yourself...with some help from me, of course."

"Mommy, Ethan did almost this whole section of the puzzle by himself! I did most of it for him, but he did it!"

I love that my kids are so sensitive to each other's feelings. Of course, things are back to normal now - I just overheard Hannah tell Ethan to go away and not touch "her"puzzle. It must be finished!

I've got plenty to be thankful for...

2006-09-24T16:37:00.000-06:00

I have a secret love of old movies. Not only just old movies, but old musicals. Some of them are classic, like The Sound of Music, or West Side Story. Some of them are just kind of cheesy, like Bing Crosby's White Christmas and Holiday Inn. I'm not sure what the appeal is of seeing the same story line played out over and over again, but I like 'em!

One of the songs in Holiday Inn (which is, in case you didn't know, the first movie Bing sang his famous I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas. It's going through your head right now, isn't it?!) is this song he sings for Thanksgiving called "I've Got Plenty to Be Thankful For". He's pretty depressed and makes fun of the song as he listens to himself on record singing it. It's one of those "yeah, whatever. I want more" moments.

I don't know about you, but I'm pretty guilty of doing the same thing. I keep wishing for the big blessings, overlooking all the seemingly little blessings God grants me everyday. In fact, just this morning He reminded me I had been doing it yet again! For the past few months, we've been playing catch up as I transitioned from babysitter to my new job, with a two month break in between. Things are just starting to fall into place with the finances, but it's still going to be another month before I can quit stressing about it. A typical dialogue with God when I'm balancing the books goes something like "Can't we EVER have a payday where we have something left over? Where does all our money go? Why can't you just give us a break already?!!"

It's not in those moments God whispers to me all the things He does indeed do for us. Probably because He knows I'm not really listening. It's later, like in the shower this morning, when He reminds me of the little things. Like how when Hannah was running out of clothes to wear (literally, not just because I was putting off the laundry!), a good friend sent over half a dozen pairs of pants that were in almost new condition. Or about the second job I have that just fell in my lap when I needed it most. Or how Kevin got a raise this week. Or how about all those other clothes my son has downstairs waiting for him to grow into (thanks to another dear friend!)

And let's not forget that He's determined Hannah's neutropenia is temporary and she has almost outgrown it. That my health isn't REALLY that bad when I have more good days than not. And that He is helping Kevin and I rekindle our romance. And you know, all three of my kids really are little blessings - usually!

Yep, I have plenty to be thankful for right now.

How are you doing in the thankfulness department today?

It's happened!

2006-09-24T16:35:00.000-06:00

People are reading my blog!!!!!!!!! I mean, besides the lovely people I invited, of course. AHHHHH! I'm not sure what to think about this development....and now it means I really have to think of more things to post. Oh the pressure!!

Thank you to all who have commented so far!

Fall into Reading Challenge!

2006-09-23T14:53:00.000-06:00

So I discovered this challenge JUST IN TIME on my fav blog In the Midst of It. The challenge starts with the commencement of fall which, depending on what calendar you look at, was either Thursday or Friday, and ends December 21st. But I'm starting today. You can hit the first link to check out the challenge, in case you want to participate. You can do it even if you don't have a blog - and by the way, I don't think blogs count as actual reading!

Here's my lists of Current, Future, and Couple Reads. I'm not listing the books we read with the kids, 'cause I don't want to torture you!

Here's my list of books I am working on finishing:
Light to My Path by Lynn Austin (Third in Refiner's Fire series)
The Mother Daughter Connection by Susie Shellenberger
Blessing Your Husband by Debra Evans

The books I intend to read next:
Like Dandelion Dust by Karen Kingsbury
Found by Karen Kingsbury (hey, they don't ALL have to be serious!)
Pathway to Purpose for Women by Katie Brazelton
Life Management for Busy Women by Elizabeth George (a much needed re-read at this point!)
Cure for the Common Life by Max Lucado

The book I committed to reading with my honey:
Sheet Music by Kevin Leman ('nuff said!)

Hmmm, this list looks a lot more daunting than I originally thought! I love to read, though, so I hopefully will get most of these done by Christmas! I just hope Kevin misses this post - he might not let me buy anymore books until I read these ones!

Happy reading!

P.S. Here's the link again to the Fall Reading Challenge, so you don't have to scroll back up and find it!
Fall Into Reading Challenge

Preschool Days

2006-09-23T11:40:00.000-06:00

Wednesday was the BIG day. My Hannah started preschool. I was so happy for her to have something special just for her to do. That's pretty important when you're the middle child, I'm learning. And I wanted her to go so she could make some friends that she will go to Kindergarten with next year. She needs that extra bit of security, as she's kind of shy and not quite as confident as her big sister.

We had it all planned - I would be there for "work" so that Hannah would be able to just concentrate on having fun and not have to worry about me leaving. The reality was I actually needed to be there for me!

We got out of the van and, like any good scrapbooking mama, I started to take Hannah's picture - with Emma's Polly Pocket camera, since ours is a piece of junk. (see Snapshots ) I suddenly had a really hard time seeing through the little lens - but I was determined NOT to cry. I mean, I WOULD be there the whole time!

We walked in to the building, and I lost it. It had finally sunk in that this wasn't just about giving Hannah a little more confidence socially, or about finding something for her to do. This was a major milestone in her little life! She had woken up that morning saying "Yay, yay, YAY!" because she felt so grown up. Not me - I cried like a baby! One of the mom's sympathized with me and told me it gets easier. Well, maybe for her, but this was my BABY we're talking about!

This was the little girl who came into the world not breathing, and as gray as I have ever seen a person can possibly be. And when she did finally take a breath, so did I. And I knew then that I would hold on to her more tightly than any other person before her, so scared was I that we would lose her that day.

This was my little girl who had to have a bone-marrow test done at 2 yrs of age - and I had to sit in a waiting room the whole time, not even allowed to go to her when she woke up, because they would only let one parent in at a time. Kevin had been with her when she fell asleep, so they wanted her to wake up with him by her side. I understood, but try and tell that to my heart that was aching to be near her.

This was my sweetie who always found a way to make you spend time with her - without you realizing it was happening. One minute you'd be sitting reading a book by your self, and the next minute she's be on your lap, waiting for you to read to her.

That day I realized that it was the start of her spending more time away from me. I didn't like that idea! I want my babies to stay that way - babies! How dare they grow up so fast! So yes, I admit it, I cried. And then I smiled bravely, so Hannah could see just how fun her day would really be. And as I watched her go off and make a new friend, I knew I'd be okay. For now. Just don't expect me to hold it together next year when she starts Kindergarten!

I'm sorry!

2006-09-18T13:12:00.000-06:00

Hi friends!

I have to apologize - I didn't mean to neglect you this past week. I have had a serious case of writer's block. I never thought that could happen to me! I mean with all the crazy things that happen in this house, who would have thought I would not be able to find SOMETHING to tell you!

I am not neglecting you - I promise! This week is Hannah's first day of preschool, and I am lucky enough to have to sit in on her class for work. Oh, the hardship that will be - watching my daughter expand her horizons! So I should have something to write about out of that experience.

On another note, I have discovered something about myself that may shock and surprise you. I have learned through working these last several weeks that I HATE the phone! I hate making phone calls - I put them off to the very last possible minute until I am forced to do them while waiting to make a trip to the ER. (And, lest you think I am exaggerating, that is exactly what I did on Saturday. And I'm okay, by the way! It turned out to be nothing serious!)

I can't understand it. I LOVE to talk! I enjoy nothing more than a nice, comfy chat with my friends. But for some reason, just the thought of making a phone call is enough to send me looking for some dark, dirty corner to clean out. I made excellent headway last week at work organizing our files. But I still have a stack of people to phone - it just isn't going away!

My new strategy is to recruit people to do the phoning for me. But this still requires making phone calls of my own! I'm telling you - they made email and instant messaging for people like me!

Recently I saw in our church bulletin a member info update sheet that asked which method of communication you prefer - email or voice messaging. I was excited to see yet another way of avoiding the phone! If only I could get all of my contacts for work on board with this, my life would be easier.

So please don't take it personally if I rarely pick up the phone to call you. It's nothing personal! I just need to clean out my storage room, first.

Snapshots

2006-09-08T16:18:00.000-06:00

We need a new camera.

The one we own is practically as old as me. Kevin bought in journalism school, and it has been slowly dying ever since. First the flash broke. Then it started to streak the best pictures on the roll (never the worst ones, or even in unobtrusive spots, but always on somebody's face!). The other day was the last straw. I was going to take a picture of my boy and his backpack, but I had to load the camera first. Kevin has given me many tutorials on his precious camera, so I know how to use it. It ate the film...literally. Of course, two days later, Ethan's backpack broke, is unfixable, and that means I have lost a valuable and important scrapbooking opportunity. I'm still trying to get over that one!

I really want a digital camera. It's good for scrapping, saves money on film and wasted shots, AND, most importantly, would enable me to share my babies' pictures a lot more easily, especially here. I think I have a good argument, but Kevy says "no". He thinks old fashioned is best (I should remind him of this next time he touts the superiority of his Mac notebook!).

If I had a digital camera, I could have shared a few pictures with you today. You would have seen my sweet boy taking a nap on my bed this afternoon, hand grasping his broken backpack so tight no one could take it from him. You'd see him sleeping on his side to compensate for his new backpack that's in place behind him. You would be able to gaze at his cherubic face with it's rosy cheeks and pouty mouth turned toward his other hand clutching his "milky" and puppy. And you'd know he was warm under his teddy blanky that goes all over the house with him.

Maybe I would have shared a moment with you involving Hannah, surrounded by her little people village and ponies, her golden hair shining in the sun that filtered through her window. You might have seen her face puckered in determination as she tried to get her dolls just right, or maybe have caught her in mid-sentence as she made them talk, totally oblivious to anything but her little make-believe world.

Maybe you would have been able to sit in on Emma's first week of piano practice. You could have seen her perched so proudly on her piano bench, excitement and joy etched on her face as she discovered the key that unlocks the door to the world of music. You might have noticed her well-tanned hands (with their dirty fingernails!) eagerly feeling the keyboard as she played her first song.

But, no. You, dear friend, are to be deprived of such snapshots of my family, until my husband decides to give in and get me that digital camera. Maybe for Christmas, okay Honey?

2006-09-07T19:51:00.000-06:00

Thirteen Things I love about my friend SHARLA

My dearest friend is moving next week to Alberta, and today was our day to say "see ya later!" So I thought it was fitting to honour her here today...love ya, sweetie!

1. She's stuck with me for THIRTEEN YEARS! (I swear I did not plan that!)
2. She gave me an April O'Neill ring when we were in high school in place of a friendship ring.
3. She loves Dukes of Hazzard - even if I don't!
4. Her dimples...'cause I'm a sucker for them.
5. We can communicate a whole conversation with our eyes...even from across the room.
6. She knows more about cars than any guy I know, and...
7. ...she won't drive anything imported!
8. She thinks decaf is a waste of time, but doesn't complain when I make it anyway.
9. She gave Kevin a mini-boxing game to replace the big one I made him give up when we got married.
10. She lets me see her cry.
11. She knows I am crying right now as I write this...and she's crying, too!
12. She followed her heart and went through 4 years of University and countless low-paying jobs to make sure she could provide for her kids. Which is why she's moving...and I'm so proud of her!
13. But most of all - I love Sharla because she's still the best and truest friend I have ever had!

Links to other Thursday Thirteens!
1. (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

A note about the "Nerd Test"

2006-09-04T22:14:00.000-06:00

<

I think there are some of you who would appreciate this! I thought I should clarify why on earth I felt compelled to take a nerd test and post the results on my side bar. I'll tell you - one day I was reading my favourite blog In the Midst of It (which incidentally was the first blog I ever read and I am now totally hooked! Since I am using Kev's Mac, I can insert the link for some reason, so just click on the sidebar. You can come back when you are done!)

Okay, now where was I? Oh yes, I was reading this lovely lady's blog. I think if I lived near her, we'd be friends. I mean, she likes scrapbooking, diet coke, talking about her kids - all things I like! She also has a freakish need to fill out forms - which I also enjoy. If you give me a form, I'll have it filled out in 10 mins. Same with surveys - I LOVE surveys. Maybe it's because someone actually really wants to know what I think, instead of me subjecting them to my opinions while they're gagged and bound! Anyways, she posted about this funny little test and what her score was afterwards. You know I HAD to click the link and take the test. And thus I discovered that I'm really not the nerd I thought I was. Sort of. I mean, it is kind of nerdy to take a nerd test, is it not? Can you really see someone like Jennifer Aniston taking it?

So now you know why it's there - and I bet now, if you're like me, you're going to want to take it, too! (Unless you already have - then I bow down to your survey taking quirkiness!)

Share your scores!

Denim Rant

2006-09-02T14:29:00.000-06:00

I've decided I hate blue jeans! Okay, change that. I hate shopping for blue jeans. Whoever thought that ultra low rise, ultra skinny jeans were a good idea should be made to actually wear them. I mean, honestly! Do we REALLY need to see that much skin on a person? Maybe if I had the body of my 7 year old with no baby marks on it, they'd be okay. But I don't! And neither do 90% of the people who try to squeeze themselves into those horrible things. Ugh!

It's enough to make me want to go shopping in my faded old sweats - at least THOSE fit!

A Fishy Dilemma

2006-09-01T19:11:00.000-06:00

It's been, what, 30 seconds since I posted my first entry, and I'm already back for more!! Oh, dear! But this story is totally blog worthy, so I HAVE to share it, you see. I have no choice!

Yesterday was my day to clean out our fishtank. I say ours, but technically it's Emma's. We bought her a goldfish for her birthday this spring. Dorothy has become a very real part of our family, so if I just throw her name out there, that's who she is! (We just assume Dorothy is a "she". I mean, her name IS Dorothy!)

So, like I said, it was my day to clean out the fishtank. Funny how that became my job! So Hannah and Ethan watched me take out the water, use the gravel vacuum to get up the gunk, etc. Hannah scrubbed the sides of the tank nicely, and we filled it back up again. Our habit is to give Dorothy a little snack after this ordeal, since it must be upsetting to have to dodge the scrubbing brush! So we gave her her snack, closed the lid, and that was that

The tank is in the girls' room. Hannah was playing dolls while I was checking my email, when Ethan joined her. All of the sudden I hear Hannah yelling and crying - I ran upstairs to see what was wrong (thinking it was just Ethan teasing her again - he IS two!) and I hear her calling out something about Dorothy. I finally figured out that Ethan had dumped the entire contents of Dorothy's food into the tank! I guess he thought he should have helped, too!

If you have never had this happen to you or someone you know, let me tell you this. Within 10 mins the water was cloudy and orange. I scooped out as much as I could, praying she wouldn't eat TOO much and explode!

Today her water was still gross, so I Googled "my son dumped all the fish food into the tank". Apparently, this is a common occurrence in boys 6 and under! I was able to find tons of advice for dealing with this dilemma - much of which was just replace the water and vacuum out the gravel. I'm happy to say her tank is almost normal now.

You know, I did notice something in my Google search. None of those links contained the phrase "my daughter". So in the interest of fairness, I searched for "my daughter dumped the fishfood into the tank". You know what the first hit was? "My CAT dumped the food!" But mostly the hits contained "HE dumped the food", referring to little boys.

I love my boy. We're just going to keep the food way out of his reach for awhile!

For you, not me....really!

2006-09-01T19:04:00.000-06:00

Okay, I've done it. I've entered the halls of the blogger. You knew it was just a matter of time before I did!

My goal is simple - to update you, my friends, on all the goings on in the Mitchell household on a consistent basis. I'm hoping that you, in return, either leave me nice little comments to humour me, or that you will at least let me eavesdrop on your very own blog so I can keep up to date, too. You know you want to! Admit it!

Don't expect anything TOO profound. You do remember I have three kids - who has the time or energy to be profound!

So, welcome! I hope you come to enjoy my little family as much as I do!

Andrea