Jo's Kitchen Table

~Someday~

2012-01-12T08:21:00.000-08:00

Some day I will have a kitchen that stays clean longer than an hour.

And I'll eat my lunch in peace and quiet.

Some day the floors and counters will not stay sticky.

And only one pair of shoes will be kicked off by the back door.

Some day I'll have uninterrupted reading time -- any time of day I want it.

Some day the groceries and the gas will last a little longer,

And some day I can sleep in any day of the week.

But I imagine......... on THAT DAY - Some day......... I'll miss THIS DAY very much.

"Thank you Jesus for THIS DAY and all that you bring to it for our good and YOUR glory. And for my little flock of five that you have knit together, designed, created and placed here, all at the same time to grow together, learning to love and look to You. May they know fullness of joy in Your arms and life everlasting in Your saving grace."

"Sanctify and prosper my domestic devotion,

instruction, discipline, example,

that my house may be a nursery for heaven,

my church the garden of the Lord,

enriched with trees of righteousness of thy planting,

for thy glory."

Taken from Valley of Vision

Evolution of the telephone ~ And back

2012-01-11T18:39:00.000-08:00

I actually remember having this very phone in our house. Many an hour was spent chatting late into the night with Hubs dragging this base around. I thought it was about the best thing ever when Mom and Dad sprung for a new 20 ft. phone cord so I could drag the ball and chain into the bathroom and close the door for some privacy.

And then out of nowhere - technology explodes and we can enjoy fresh air, privacy and hours of battery life on the cordless.

We may as well have been the Jetsons when this baby came out.

Ya'll, this was my first mobile phone. Well, it belonged to our family. Pre-family plan, pre-roll over minutes.... pre-historic it appears. I mean, it looks like something out of an old military flick. . The bag phone - when it was my turn to use it - I was proud. May as well have been a Vera Bradley tote.

Hubs bought me my very first cell phone when we were married. This is what it looked like. The thing never would die. Never. Hence I carried it around until way way way after the oh-so-much cooler flip phone was released.

I practically just got rid of my flip phone a year or so ago. It was awesome. Fit in my jeans and everything.

But I confess....... even though I held out almost four years........ the iphone is pretty much my favorite techy-toy. My policy is to wait until ATT starts giving them away free. It was worth the wait. Apple should be proud. Proud and rich.

So you can imagine my surprise when I see this on the news??????

What am I missing?

The new green retro alternative. Comes in dazzling white, sleek onyx or spotted.

brass carriage lantern not included.

Happy New Year! My favorite list of TWO.

2012-01-01T08:29:00.000-08:00

Our New Year's Eve was quiet, at home, with family. I'd be lying if I said I didn't love it. Maybe I'm getting old, or just lame and plain, but the calm hours of thinking and planning were therapeutic for me. I averaged grades to report them online, folded about seven loads of laundry, watched some bowl games with the kids, watched the kids play wii football which is more exciting than the actual bowl games, enjoyed hubs being home all day with us, cleaned up Christmas and had breakfast burritoes at about 10pm before calling it a night.

New beginnings. A fresh calendar. A clean mantle and vacuuming all the pine needles from four corners of the house..........all seem to add to the excitement that a fresh start is underway.

As God tenderly leads me along in another year with Him, I am reminded my best efforts to plan and resolve fall short. I cannot keep resolutions apart from the grace of God. Without Jesus I am incompetent at best and self aware and assured at worst. “Apart from me you can do nothing.” He says in John 15:5.

We cannot simply change the way we live without first changing our thinking. AW Tozer states that"what comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us. " More than anything, I want to discipline my mind to think biblically in 2012.

Being increasingly aware of these things: my New Years list becomes small. I won't share it in entirety here - don't want to jinx it right? But I must share my top two favorites as it pertains to personal spiritual growth and renewal:

One of my favorite things about the New Year is beginning again in God's Word. For the last several years I've been challenged and encouraged to read through the Chronological Bible. My good friend and Bible teacher, author, study leader Iva May has written a daily blog with commentary and questions to accompany the daily passage.

You can find a Chronological One Year Bible here or at most Christian bookstores. All you'll need is God's Word and a notebook. Check out Iva May's Blog here. Or if you would like to receive a daily feed on your facebook page you can link up.

With my reading time more limited than ever I am forced to be choosy. The Girltalk Blog written by author and teacher Carolyn Mahaney and her daughters never fails turn my heart and mind to the truth of God's Word. Carolyn has created a wonderful resource for women to re-focus, re-evaluate, and re-shape our personal walk with the Lord as it pertains to time management, relationships, and priorities. What a perfect time of year to get away....even for a few hours, and ask the Lord to show me AGAIN glimpses of His heart!!! You can find a printable copy of her PERSONAL RETREAT here.

Don't underestimate the time this will take to review; possibly an entire day.

What better gift to give my family than a wife and mom more alert and dedicated to

walk wise before the Lord. And equipped with the tools to do it. :)

I can't wait to get started. AGAIN.

We just returned from a wonderful four days of Christmas with Hubs' family in the hills of Northwest Arkansas. Hence my aforementioned seven loads of laundry. More about that and pictures to follow.

of the trip. Not the laundry.

{Merry Christmas} Our Family Loves Your Family

2011-12-23T10:43:00.000-08:00

Road racing cycles and bat bags and helmets

Cell phones and play phones and who needs a haircut?

Two girls make music on violin strings

These are a few of our favorite things

School books and cook books and plenty of dishes

Dishwasher, dryer..who's next at the dentist?

cub scouts and cook outs, playforts, and tire swings

These are a few of our favorite things.

Love and Forgiveness from our Heavenly Father

Shelter, Strong Tower, our Portion forever

God's gift of salvation makes cold hearts to sing

It is Enough that Jesus died and that He died for me.

With grateful hearts for the gift of Jesus - we wish you a Merry Christmas and a wonderful celebration of our Lord and Savior.

Whom have I in heaven but you?

And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.

My flesh and my heart may fail,

but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Psalm 73:25-26

Master Negotiator Public Ambassador In Training

2011-12-20T13:32:00.000-08:00

Baby Girl is soaking in Christmas in all its glory this year for sure. I think I've said that the last two years but you know when the Christmas lists start coming around August that she gets it.

So surprise of all surprises Hubs and I are done shopping and the loot now is hidden away. But Baby Girls ideas still pour forth with great variety. Finally, I'd had quite enough and we a little chat in the car.

Mom: So, Darling....., you have so many good and fun ideas about Christmas presents and I really think that you're going to love your presents on Christmas morning. Mommy and Daddy picked them out just for you and they are really fun. But I don't want you to be disappointed if ALL of the things you've mentioned are not under the tree. We just don't need quite that many new toys at Christmas. Ok?

Ambassador Baby Girl: " Sigh, Mom,..... I know....... I'm still young. You have plenty of time and other Christmases to get all those things."

Did my five year old really just say "I'm still young?"

~ A Christmas Letter to my Younger Self ~

2011-12-16T05:00:00.000-08:00

It's 14 years ago and our first Christmas. We lived in a log cabin flocked by winter wonderland, tucked away in the north woods of Upper Michigan. Just 6 months after our wedding and already battling the rants and rages of morning and evening sickness with our first baby. We weren't that busy but we thought we were. It was quiet there. We used to follow our mealtime prayer with a kiss. I don't know why I just now thought of that. We were in love, taking life as it came to us, and couldn't be happier.

It's ten days before Christmas. The last holiday season before our baby starts high school. And the baby now?.......19 months old and full speed ahead keeping up with four older siblings.

Dear Me. where has the time gone?

Dear Me, (if only I could hear a whisper of my own voice 14 years ago)..........

saying something like.....

Don't sweat the Christmas tree. One day they won't touch it so much. Just hang plastic from the midway point on down and enjoy a different arrangement every day.

Would I have listened ? Probably not. I seem to have to learn things for myself. Often the hard way. Of this I am not proud - but it does give me compassion when I see it in my kids. They get it honest. If I would have listened - this is what I would have said.... to myself.

Dear Me,

Christmas time is for making memories with the kids. It's ok if it's a little crazy. As long as it's OUR crazy. We remember the corniest things. They will too. Even now, what I remember are the food items that returned year after year, games, staying up late, the people that were there. Happy people. I don't remember things.

A good economy does not a good Christmas make. Make each one filled with memories and events that can be reproduced. Like stocking scavenger hunt and candlelight story time and surprise pajama Christmas-light tour after bedtime........ they'll love that. They'll talk about it for a long time. Whatever you do, don't skip it because you think they are growing out of it. It is personal to them. It shapes that part of their heart that says "this is what my family does". Identity is powerful

The first few times you pull off a corny Christmas tradition - the kids will roll their eyes. But stick to it. Pretty soon, they will be the ones acting like December can't go on without "I want a hippopotamus for Christmas" - freeze out in the car.

And about the gifts..... Hubs is wise beyond his years. And his Christmas plan is: Save your money on all the little kid trinkets and get one or two things that will blow their mind. Then you'll spend about the same amount, avoid the trash bag purge in early February and trips to the Good Will by April.

It's ok to say no to all the community activities and even church activities when the kids are small....... and......... when they are big.........Especially in December. December is the month to keep an empty calendar and then write down what you decided to do, spur of the moment with the kids. Then save the calendar. This is a good plan. It will not always happen. Roll with it the best you can and have fun.

Take pictures. Take videos when you can. One day you'll start to watch home videos and not be able to walk away. And you'll look your little-big kids eye ball to eye ball and say - "why didn't I squeeze you more back then? Why was I in such a hurry?"

And you'll squeeze them tight. Just because.

And they'll laugh. And you'll laugh a little and cry.

And about the house. Order is important. Not squeaky freaky clean but high functioning. Kids need order and you need to be able work a system. Whatever system will work for you. You and yours. Do the worst first. Do it early. And then do that thing that you might not do if you're tired tonight. Because you're going to be tired tonight. Like go for a run. Or read a good book. Knowing you, you'll procrastinate those things - but you won't go to bed with a sink of dirty dishes - so while you feel up to it - leave the dishes and hit the pavement.

Establish bedtime early and well. It may be the only time you and hubs will have together for many years. Many a problem solved and prayers offered up will happen between 8 and 10 pm. Protect that part of the day while the kids are young. One day the kids will stay up late and so will you. Because they won't require as much sleep and you'll want to hear them while they are chatty. They won't be chatty in the morning. Train your body to make this adjustment so you can remember what they are saying.

Having three babies in four years will be crazy. It will feel as if your body, soul and mind have been turned inside out. But in a short time, not a day will go by when you aren't grateful for the little band of friendships growing within your four walls. Having two more babies four years later will be pure joy and delight. You'll realize that those tiny days are to be treasured. And you'll be glad that you gave it another chance after you were a little more relaxed about the whole infant thing. And you will have all the help you need and more love to go around than you thought possible.

Don't over manage the kids' play time. They will survive without being stalked. They may sustain a few injuries over the years that you could have prevented if you had been hovering nearby - but contrary to cultural cues but they will not die. And they will enjoy describing their battle scars. And learning to think. And take ownership of their creative side. And imagine. And play. Without Mom's suggestions and over stimulation.

And speaking of playtime - when they are small, they will enjoy ballet with you in the family room as much as they would in a studio. If you want a slower pace as a young mom - take it. The running and hustling and bustling about is for the mom. Who are we kidding? The kids just want to be with you. With you at home in the sandbox or at the museum. It makes no difference to them.You'll probably have to learn this for yourself the hard way. No doubt, you will not take your own mom's word for it. But later, when you have schedules that will not be easily amended - you will long for those slower days of toddler hood and afternoon nap times. Don't rush through it.

A swimming pool and caged trampoline is some of the best money you'll ever spend at Sams Club. That and the family pack of frozen chicken.

Vitamin D is twice as effective as a flu shot. Kids do not easily absorb vitamin D indoors.

Christmas cookies. You can never have enough. You can never start early enough. Gingerbread houses are not intended to be in Architectural Digest. The tackier the better. Martha, Ina, Bakarina whoever..... don't impress your kids. They won't remember perfectly piped holly wreath cookies and the oh-so-shiny tinted glaze that you didn't want to let them do by themselves. They'll remember what a train wreck their mom was trying to pull that off.

However, whoever said that making a big fat mess in the kitchen was fun for everybody must have been enjoying some hard drinks on the side. Two hours of clean up isn't fun. What's fun is eating cookies every day in December. Embrace the easy recipes that taste good and make a ton. They're out there. You'll have scores of lonely, quiet hours in your sixties to create culinary show pieces.

One day you'll discover Pioneer Woman's cinnamon rolls. And from that day forward you will know in advance what to make the neighbors for Christmas. It is holly jolly, peace on earth, good will to men all wrapped up in tin foil. Let the kids deliver it in their PJs Christmas morning. Tell them to wear their winter hats and scarves, even if balmy Memphis Christmas is 60 degrees. The pictures will be cute.

Make home the place to be. At Christmas time and all year. Create an atmosphere that makes them excited to come there and to bring their friends. Love is not in things and trips to Disney or McDonalds playland. Love is talking and sharing and playing together and laughing and feeling and repenting and crying and failing and trying again and honesty from them and from you. Let them be loved at home and see your happy face delight in them, and they will want to be home. Keep them busy going here and there so that your hours at home are hurried and stressed and they will grow up and never learn how to sit still and enjoy people. What will last is LOVE and PEOPLE.

It is why Christ came. His Love and Life for people teaches us to give our love and life for PEOPLE.

At Christmas and Always.

Sincerely,

Me,
14 years later, a little more ragged around the edges, hopefully a great deal softer in my heart and certainly, filled with joy to know the goodness of God toward His children.

Baby Love

2011-12-12T17:43:00.000-08:00

A cute little something happened making me think about a big something.

Mj began to notice baby dolls. It's been amusing really to see her talk and hold and rock. The big girls are once again taking delight in all dolly things just to light up the world of their baby sister.

And I am more than thrilled to see sisters softened to the joys of each other. It's Gods way in a family.

So, little MJ stretches out her hands to me, chanting "baby- baby" over and over and wants me to wrap the baby in the blanket snugged up like a newborn. And while I'm doing it she's panting and smiling and simply cannot wait to get her hands on the little bundle.

And then when I place it in her arms.... we say ......

"Love the baby."

And she does.

She knows all manner of loving gestures. Some to my surprise. Others not. But consistently, she holds the doll close and kisses and rocks.

And in her way she is showing love.

As she knows love. As she has been shown love.

We didn't have any conversations with her about how to be loving. Explaining what it's not ~ or how important it is.

We loved. And she is learning to love.

Mj giving the baby of our big family some sweet cousin love.

They are only separated by five months but MJ clearly knows she's older.

Silas is the strong and silent type and prefers a little warning from the ladies before all the lovey dovey stuff.

Am I seeing this just now? After five children?

No, I can remember thinking about this before. But maybe just now letting its fullness soak in.
And furthermore reminding myself what pure nonsense it would be to speak of love and not to show it. Like jibberish to a baby.

But to show it....................... to show it.

to live it. again and again.

To let it pour out of me like hugs and kisses pour forth to a baby. Without a single thought.......

This is power. This love that is lived, will become life and will give life.

"If I slip into the place that can be filled by Christ alone, making myself the first necessity to a soul instead of leading it to fasten upon Him, then I know nothing of Calvary love."

"That which I know not, teach Thou me, O Lord, my God."

Amy Carmichael

Thanksgiving Again

2011-11-15T17:54:00.001-08:00

For the five children with us and the one little sparrow with You........................... we give thanks.

For the air in our lungs

The spring in our step

The clear sight we enjoy to recognize Your handiwork

The home on our little hill

The cars we drive to the stores full of food and the money YOU provide to pay for both

For the conveniences of home, with warm baths and beds and safe sleep and running water and fresh air only a window pane away.........

For school books and teachers

For music ~ in our hearts and on our tongues

For family. Family is your idea. It is a miracle. It is one of Your greatest gifts.

For Your Word. ......living and breathing and active in our lives.

For Your Eyes. "Thou God seest me." Even me. Genesis 16:13

For Your voice. "....You will be our guide, even unto death." Psalm 48:14

For Your mercies "they are new every morning." Lamentations 3:22-23

For Your work on the cross and the gift of Your beloved son. Truly Your greatest gift.

For Your saving power and redeeming grace.

For Your loving kindess and everlasting arms. We fall into your kind hands and at Your feet. There we stay. There we are held and kept. We rest in You.

"The eternal God is your resting place and underneath are the everlasting arms." Deut. 33:27

For all of this.......We Give Thanks.

"Oh give thanks to the Lord,for He is good.

For His mercies endure forever."

11-11-11 ~ A Beautiful Day to Remember and Say Thanks

2011-11-11T14:37:00.001-08:00

"Courage is almost a contradiction in terms. It means a strong desire to live taking the form of readiness to die."

-G.K. Chesterton

"When our perils are past, shall our gratitude sleep?"

George Canning

Baby Girl stuck pretty close to the Marine.

Who was giving out doughnuts.

Our county's oldest living veteran at 95 years old.

This morning was special.

The kids and I gathered with a good size, small town crowd at the county courthouse. The girl and boy scouts came to represent our flag and our allegiance. Veterans stood, saluted, and sang with their whole heart and voice. Our local pastors prayed. As a community we offered private and public prayers to God Almighty in thanksgiving for our great past and petition for His mercies to guide our future.

How many more Veterans Days will know this freedom? By God's grace and only by His sustaining hand will we continue to be great...... as we make Him GREAT.

I pray it will be so.

And then the local elementary school choir sang God Bless America, Grand Ole Flag, and Rocky Top.

Appropriate since our great state offered up so many VOLUNTEERS.

First time for everything

2011-11-08T13:28:00.000-08:00

Something you don't want to hear from your five year old after she exits the lady's room stall:

"whew, i really need to wash my hands after that.........."

I've learned not to ask. And turn up that bathroom hot water to full power.

And while we're in public bathrooms - don't you just appreciate the hand dryers that remove fingernail polish....... and rings? What the? Glad no smallish kids were around when that came on.

Baby Girl, who's not a baby whatsoever, and will be first to tell you, shrieked today from the back seat that I should pull the car over.

"What's the problem? Are you sick?"

I'm the mom that will keep driving unless we've been hit by surface to air missile or if someone has throw up in the back of their throat. Or if their burp smelled like throw up. Then we are stopping the car.

So this was my first line of questioning before the brakes.

Thankfully, no essence, or aroma of throw up present. It was worse.

Baby Girl exclaimed "my hand just got a cut from paper!!!!!! In between my fingers. Mom, ......from paper!!!!! How can paper do that?"

Grinning to myself and with full assurance of medication and bandaids upon arriving home, we traveled on.

I forget sometimes that this little one is just five.
And experiencing her own set of firsts.

With the other LITTLE one coming into her own opinions and learning how to be bossy, I'm afraid that #4, who is still only 5, get's lost in the shuffle all too often.

I know this.
I try to remedy it.
I'm not doing that well at it.
I'm not open to suggestions

Which is why I love our private car conversations. She and I ride together every chance we get.
Taking big kids here and there. Waiting in the car. no one else clamoring for attention.... or needing things.

We have great talks. She wonders about a lot of things. And asks a lot of questions. And to my great delight..... is satisfied with rather simple answers.

relief.

And thrilled with simple pleasures.

Like Cookies and Cream Ice Cream.

which she had for the first time last night.

I offered her choice of milkshake last night at Chick Fila - while we waiting on Big Sis~ Sweet Girl to finish violin. Rather matter of factly I read off the choices.......

you know the drill.........

and when I said cookies and cream......

Baby Girl stops me, "Did you just say cookies? AND ice cream? - cookies AND..... did you say AND.....? I can have both?"

Realizing she'd never tasted it before, and being thoroughly overcome with happiness and amusement, I explained the pure culinary genius and taste bud celebration that occurs with what used to be novel but has now become ordinary in the all-american cookies and cream frozen treat.

To make a pretty short and sweet story in the drive through line even shorter..... she ordered it. I would have been utterly disappointed if she'd chosen strawberry..

The anticipation........ the description.... wait for it.......

She just grinned and nodded her head up and down catching my eye in the mirror.

It was one of those, " you are so right mom" moments.

So. So. right.

What a mental relief it can be to just enjoy the kids. Be they five or thirteen. They all have their firsts. Looking to us for a stamp of approval or to just explain what they can expect.

I'm thankful that last night's little lesson was only about ice cream.

It was destined to end well.

And indeed, it did.

Men and boys and brothers

2011-10-22T08:33:00.000-07:00

The highlight of my childhood was making my brother laugh so hard that food came out his nose. ~Garrison Keillor

Families are like fudge - mostly sweet with a few nuts. ~Author Unknown

Let us rest

2011-10-17T06:08:00.001-07:00

"Seeing that we have such a God to trust to, let us rest upon him with all our weight; let us resolutely drive out all unbelief, and endeavor to get rid of doubts and fears, which so much mar our comfort; since there is no excuse for fear where God is the foundation of our trust. A loving parent would be sorely grieved if his child could not trust him; and how ungenerous, how unkind is our conduct when we put so little confidence in our heavenly Father, who has never failed us, and who never will! We have been in many trials, but we have never yet been cast where we could not find in our God all that we needed." CH Spurgeon

{Girls Night } Recipe for laughs

2011-10-10T16:53:00.000-07:00

"What happened today that made you laugh?" Taken from one of my all time favorite baby books,
Time for Bed by Mem Fox. Our copy is at least 13 years old and Big Guy can still quote every line.

While the boys are at scouts every Monday...... the girls shall play, and drag fall decorations out of the attic. It's the longest I've waited in many years. And my kids wouldn't stand for it one more day.

Decorating is an event, you know? It will no doubt take us longer to get ready to decorate than it will to actually do the thing. Because ..... I don't have that many decorations. And we need sweet snacks before entering the attic.
But with determination in our hearts and still over half of October left we're diving in. But first, to set the mood:

Two minute fudge from here: worth every penny of the whole stick of butter I put in. we may save some for the scouts. may.....

Pandora's Disney station sung at the top of our lungs: most certainly NOT something our boys would stand for but crazy fun. My girls have "Mother knows best" from Tangled completely memorized. Disturbing.

The look on their face when The Little Mermaid's Under the Sea came on and I said, " I got this one chickys!" : PRICELESS

I'm pretty sure Pandora calls that one a DISNEY CLASSIC. WhAT?

Your whole life in six words.

2011-10-07T10:34:00.000-07:00

Hubs sent me the following assignment. He received it for an upcoming business meeting. The woman in me is overwhelmed... the writer intrigued. And out of curiosity, I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Six words are all you need.

That's what editor Larry Smith discovered when he posted a six-word memoir challenge on his website, smithmag.net, in November, 2006, asking readers to write their life story in precisely six words.

Within the first two months, the site received 15,000 replies. The best have been reproduced in a book that has become a New York Times bestseller, aptly named: Not Quite What I Was Planning.
The idea grew out of an Ernest Hemingway legend. Challenged to write a novel in six words, the master of minimalism purportedly came up with: "For Sale: Baby shoes, never worn."

A few of the submissions to Smith's challenge include:
I still make coffee for two.
Me see world. Me write stories. (by author Elizabeth Gilbert)
Found my soul mate - despite frizzy hair.
Evidently, I was homeschooled by nuts.
Much love to give; no recipient.
Four kids make life wonderfully chaotic.

What would your six words be?

Today mine would go something like this:

so much more than I deserve.

The approved list {car conversations}

2011-10-06T14:13:00.001-07:00

Baby girl:

mom, did you know your name is written in the scroll?..... And sam's partly is. But not all the way yet.

Eternal security doctrine devotions on the schedule for this very night.

Test post

2011-09-30T09:00:00.000-07:00

test post. I'm still celebrating National Coffee Day. It was yesterday. Hoorah.

What a difference 7 years can make

2011-09-30T06:43:00.000-07:00

A few days ago, I was preparing a last minute dinner for some first-time guests in our home and was not wanting the dinner to appear last minute. To say I was scrambling and even sweating would be an understatement. But in the midst of it all I remember a little girl and her busy big brother and how they loved to help when they were little.

They loved to help- more than I loved to let them.

sad. i. know.

(i was remembering while I stirred PW's spanish green beans)

getting ready for guests in the final hour back then probably went a lot like this:

can you guys pick up your toys and take them to the playroom?
can you grab those trucks and crayons from under the table?

see this trash can - help mommy find all the crumbs and little papers on the floor?

let's hold the dust pan real still while I sweep up the crumbs?

can you make the pillows on the couch look pretty?

uh -oh... toys again - where did that dump truck come from?

little miss - let's go find something a little less "fairy-ish" to wear before our company comes

little guy - come here let me wash your face

can ya'll go watch your movie for a few minutes?

what's wrong with it? can you rewind it?

push the rewind button.

I'll come push it in a minute.

just go sit down on the couch and wait for me.

No, throwing pillows please - they were looking so nice from before.

i'm coming to rewind it - coming....... coming......

wait - i need to stir these beans and check the oven and frost the cake

no, you'd better not help mommy this time with the cake

ok - you want to lick the beater? ok - that will be a good job for you

uh -oh -we'd better clean your face again.

are those more crayons on the floor?

is that the baby crying?

DING DONG.

I hope that's daddy ringing the bell just to be funny.

Fast Forward

a short little 7 or 8 years

"Can you please pick up a little and make the table look nice?"

And while I finished off some dishes that were new to me, to please our vegetarian friends, and dashed to pick up one from football at the last minute, hoping that our guests were fashionably late - the little grown up girl transformed a kitchen school room and a toddler tornado into a beautiful dining experience.

This isn't about me. or her. Although she's pretty special. It's about TIME. I couldn't have imagined how different my life would be - back then. I didn't exactly bask in the light at the end of the toddler tunnel. It's kind of like natural childbirth - if the doc could just say - you've got thirty more minutes of this and you'll be done. No one ever told me that - so I felt compelled to yell like it was going to continue for weeks.

Moms of little ones - these days will pass. Hang in there. There are new challenges that await - yes. And new delights as well. Cherish each gift from your season as ordained by God.

In one of my all time favorite books on parenting, The Duties of Parents, J.C. Ryle exhorts:
"Remember the word that the conqueror Caesar always used to his soldiers in a battle. He did not say 'Go forward', but 'Come'. So it must be with you in training your children. They will seldom learn habits which they see you despise or walk in paths in which you do not walk yourself. He that preaches to his children what he does not practice is working a work that never goes forward."

I've never seen this story before

2011-09-15T11:23:00.000-07:00

In the last ten years, I've missed this incredible story of good will, compassion, and the ever enduring American spirit. I love this country!!!! We are blessed. Thank you Auntie Di for bringing us a wonderful lunch hour today. We will not forget.

Wanted: 16 month size helmet.

2011-09-14T16:51:00.001-07:00

Following some ROFL belly laughs, one of the kids summons:

"mom, you've got to see this. If Mj starts to walk off and we keep talking to her, she keeps on looking at us while she walks and bangs right into stuff."

What? !!!!!

Should I put her in daycare for her own good? Maybe they'll let me come too.

Labor day and pioneer woman and Blogger

2011-09-13T15:26:00.000-07:00

Three things to be excited about, yea even four. But the fourth was not mentioned in the title. I'm practicing my three point expository paragraph for writing class tomorrow; this sentence is the one that doesn't belong. Every where I turn, improvements are being made which call for celebrations and sharing. Labor day hardly ever involves labor which makes it doubly sweet. Food inspiration is becoming more accessible. Technological advances make it possible to post larger pictures directly to a blog without consulting representatives in other countries.

Our Labor day weekend was long, partly cloudy, a little bit rainy, included an afternoon nap, a little more than I can tolerate of swamp people, some good football, and for my tummy, all things smoked and dredged in sauce. We shared the pork and sauce with my parents and managed to sneak a couple kids in their van on the way home - thereby insuring they left with a little more than indigestion. Cool weather arrived on cue late Sunday afternoon and just in time for Monday morning's race for the chick fil-a sandwiches. It's a family tradition. Every. single. year....... that we decide to do it.

In other news Hubs awoke from his no-labor day afternoon nap in the chair, squinted his eyes open just in time to see me watching Pioneer Woman's new show on Food Network. Yes, people. She's on the big screen, large and in charge in my living room. Let me insert right here that I don't recommend letting your husband watch this program. It's my duty to help him guard his heart and keep it content with the simple grub that has gotten us by all these years...... but it was too late. She was flinging beef, butter,bacon, and blue cheese and those were just the toppings. I could tell by the groaning and the look in his eye that it was going to be one foot in front of the other until that very meal was served up family style. Turns out - in true P-Dub fashion, almost any old girl can do it. With the help of my grilling sidekick we sampled the goods this week and it did not disappoint. You can find her show every Saturday morning on Food NTW. But you don't have to wait that long - the recipes are here NOW.check here and here.

And finally, I have to send a shout out to Blogger aka Google aka probably going to rule the world one day....aka anyways. They're making some good changes. You've probably already figured out that you can change the size of your photos right in the blog post. This used to be a big deal - so big a deal that I had to change blog templates to give me the sheer elbow room to host a big pic and THEN - had to load all my pictures into web albums so they would be hosted with an embed code that I could then post back into the html format of my post. I'm really blowing a lot of smoke and trying to sound smarter than I am but it's true. It was a pain. I got used to it but it was a pain. Well, with the new format - and with one click of the picture button - wha--lahhh my picasa web albums are loaded right there for my choosing. And the size options are waiting for me underneath each photo. So for the three of you out there that didn't know this - or were tempted to leave blogger and learn a new blog language altogether, maybe you won't have to now. You can see those large photos crystal clear right down to Little Man's dirty nose hairs.

My fourth point to my three point exp. paragraph is that Hubs spotted quite the stash of candy corn in the store. He didnt bring me any yet. He also still does not care to eat it. I will be working on improving one,for sure, if not both of those dilemmas.

In summary, it makes me grin when things work well. I'm happy to have found new recipes that fill five growing kid tummies and two rock hard ab covered parent tummies. Delighted that keeping up with a blog may, in fact, take a little less time, because deep down I do enjoy it. And super pumped that fall arrived so sweetly and made for wonderful family memories all weekend long. Even if it is now back in the nineties. As always candy corn speaks for itself.

Bedtime Stories

2011-09-13T13:33:00.000-07:00

Hubs sent Baby Girl up to bed last night with these instructions:

"say Baaa-Rammm -Uuuuu to yourself until you fall asleep".

rich. isnt' it?

I helped her out a little to explain the sheep lingo from the movie Babe. Which reminded her of the Bible story she'd heard that morning about sheep.

"Mom, Mrs. Wasser says God is the Shepherd and we are His little sheep."

That's right honey - we are.

"How come HE gets to be the Shepherd?" (questioning omnipotence at 5?? this is going to be a fun ride)

Well, He made us and is much more powerful and mighty than we are and He protects us.

by now,I'm feeling pretty satisfied that I have provided sufficient answers to genuine yet rudimentary ponderings.

"It must be only because He hasn't teached me to be Mighty yet. Then I will be the Shepherd."

Like Daddy said sweetie.....
Bahhhh , rammm, Uuuuuuu ~~~ night night.

Team Family

2011-09-10T17:54:00.001-07:00

We ran together in our towns festival 5k this morning. And by "ran together" i mean, we started together. I managed to persuade a friend to watch MJ so I didn't have to stroll her. The kids all did well. Baby girl finished, despite her concentrated effort to persuade me to either quit or cheat. Nothing like a big free bag of cotton candy to motivate a 5 year old.

The kids are taking a break from their team sports for a bit and during their down time we are running some area races.

We finished the day with window washing and pioneer woman's sliders and Mac and cheese bar. Watching 9-11 chronicles with the kids and answering questions. It's a good tired tonight.

Summers story

2011-09-09T19:34:00.000-07:00

Sticky scissors from opening freezer pops. I'll miss that.

sleepovers

all-stars

sister~stars

birthday cake........ five times.

shutting down six flags with my roller coaster loving kids

boys week

girls week

slip and slides and super cousins

smiles.....enough to share.

Summer, you made a mark on us and we put a dent in you. But we'd do it all again.

In the meantime - i'm looking forward to some campfires, football, and candy corn . you know it.

Consider the Ant.......

2011-08-22T18:43:00.000-07:00

Thou sluggard.

If I were an ant - i'd surely think that I was in the Caribbean in this swanky little ant farm. A blue gelatinous ant heaven no doubt.

What's it made of mom?

I have no idea. We're considering the ANT here, not the blue goo. Now, go back outside, get comfy and do some more considering of the ant and her diligent ways. Here take some snacks so you're not tempted to dip your finger into the ant spa.

We're two weeks in to school and still breathing and eating meals and such. I consider this a real high point. In all honesty I've had one day that I wanted to give up. 1 out of 10 isn't bad. Let's hope my average doesn't slip. I'm so thankful for sleep. It really can change your perspective.

So, if you're homeschooling for the first year or the ninth like I am, remember this: August and January are two of the hardest months of the school year. And that is the complete, start to finish volume of homeschooling advice that I have to offer.

Just reminding myself that tomorrow is a new day can be comforting and then realizing on the morrow - that indeed a new day has come and it is, in fact, not horrendous like the day before -

well, that can be life changing, educational, exhilarating.

Maybe we can do this. With God's help we will press on.

And while the children are considering the ant, I will take a page from her life as well and embrace my ordinary. Ordinary isn't always simple or easy.The ant takes long walks with a mighty burden on her back, but her steps are evenly paced. Without hesitation. She dligently perseveres. It was what she was made to do. And yes, all ants are girls.

Ok, that last part is a stretch. I know guys have ordinary days too. This isn't their blog though.

We have long appreciated the words of A.W. Tozer:

“Unbelief says, ‘Some other time, but not now; some other place, but not here; some other people, but not us.’ Faith says, ‘Anything He did anywhere else He will do here; anything He did any other time He is willing to do now; anything He ever did for other people He is willing to do for us!’” A.W. Tozer

" anything He ever did for other people He is willing to do for us!"

Including helping me with homeschooling. Giving creativity and patience where the well is dry. Providing opportunities for learning from places and people I had not considered.

Imagine that!!!!

SOmething I had not considered. "Call unto Me and I will show you GREAT AND MIGHTY things that you DO NOT KNOW!!!" Jer. 33:3

Things I don't know. That list is growing. My prayers these days often begin with "I have no idea what to do here....."

He reminds me that my children are His. He is a promise keeper. Their education is our responsibility but He promises to be my HELP!!!! The best of HELP.

"I lift my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the LORD.........." Psalm 121

We interrupt the last few days of summer with a surprise blog post.

2011-08-10T15:19:00.000-07:00

I have missed writing. Missed it on the inside. I must also have been missing reading although I didn't know it. The last few weeks have finally afforded me the opportunity to read. More than just the "decaf" or "caf" label on the coffee. The extra reading has been refreshing and recreational. As I read - I feel the urge to write again and remember and capture before time slips away.

It's important.

like watching those old home videos remind us to treasure each chapter of time with the kids.

This summer has been a vapor. like a blazing inferno laced with reminders of me putting the pool on the side of the road last year. And how maybe that wasn't the brightest decision of 2010. Note: When you're trying to decide if you want a monstrosity of a pool laying around in the garage one more winter or just throw it out since it's beyond battered..... imagine that the following summer will be an epic heat wave and the monstrous pool just may be a crucial component to the family emergency supply kit.

Yeah, well.

Summer has been fast. I thought I would have a problem with that. But again........ the aforementioned heat wave.

We've been very busy and i've longed to keep a chronicle. It just didn't happen. I do have pictures.

On the ipad. Does that help?

No. not really.

If Apple is listening - let me say loud and clear, clear and loud, cloud and lear - THAT IPAD CHANGED MY LIFE.

I'm hardly ever in here on this dinosaur lap top. Insert here: Hubs won the ipad. yes. true story. He won it. We don't usually win much. But I'm forever pumped that our pattern changed on this one day.

Never you mind that detail.

It's the best $500 you'll spend on something purely amusing and relatively useful.

I had a point - oh. The ipad is lightning fast compared to my land -before- time laptop. I used to think the laptop was fast.

I used to think a lot of things. like i could beat my five year old at cards. or cats don't spray their owners ankles.

So, the whole fast thing with the ipad - and the cool little card loader that my nerdy Hubs bought for me....... all add up to me loading those fun summer photos, lighting fast, to the glorious ipad and not dino girl - the laptop. Sorry HP. A new chic's come to town.

My new mission is to find the beast app that will allow me to post my pics from the ipad in nice livin large fashion to the blog in one pinky swipe. Until then - I'm protesting the whole insanely ridiculous process.

Whose got that kind of time?

Not this girl. It's like pre-cell phone dude. Not going back.

I'm practically eating my frosted minis in the shower these days.

Until then - imagine a nice photo inserted here - of five kids completely smitten with their love for one another and Jesus. And they're looking adoringly in the same direction at their mother with the camera - while they quote Scripture verses put to four part harmony ... because the baby after all can't sing a part yet.

Well - or quote verses - but that's starting to sound critical.

just imagine that picture right about here. In this spot below:

Now, deep breath. Back to real life.

We started school this week. What?

This will probably be the last time the kids announce their boredom.

We made some changes this year in school. I don't normally write about school details - because it doesn't normally feel interesting. But this year - we took a hiatus from our DVD school that we have known like familiar and sometimes weird kinfolk, to try something new and home school like normal people.

You know, where the mom does most of the teaching.

Time will tell if we go running back to Mrs. Schmuck and Mr. Doobie. Or if I accidentally become dependent on chemical sedatives.

The kids are excited, because so far.... in our first week - they are getting done in much less time. Is this a problem? They think they are brilliant now.

Hm.

Maybe - I'm the brilliant one. Maybe after lunch, naps will be added to the scope and sequence since everyone is all "done and stuff".

Another year - another overwhelming emotion about kids growing up. I'm grateful for the time with them. I'll be a little more grateful when it blasted cools off.

I don't know how long we will home school. We consider our options regularly and prayerfully make decisions with each individual kid in mind. This isnt' a homeschooling blog. It's not going to be. Um - plenty of those out there thank you very much. I'm keeping all my ~~(links to the)~~ amazing brilliant super cool experiments and snack ideas to myself and my loved ones.

For now, today anyway, its a good fit and they're stuck with me.

The run down is: 8th, 6th, 4th, and K-5 with a very busy 15 month old in our trash cans, cabinets and business. all. day. long. We call her "big baby" from Sunnyside Day Care on TS3. We'll probably stop calling her that pretty soon. Before she realizes........

good times.......snort.

Those days of wondering how long it will take till Hubs gets home.... yeah - those are long gone.

Now, it's more like - "did you leave? What time is it? Oh my - i guess you're hungry too huh?"