Random Ramblings

We are still here... just very very very busy lately. 

Finishing up the bathroom remodel....

I'll give you the full effect when its all done next week... I'm jealous :)

Helped Nana decorate her Christmas tree... and packed up our box for Operation Christmas Child.

It's a wonderful project for kids to learn about giving rather than getting... still not to late to do it this year!

Then we did our house... not the tree yet, we will get a live one the first week in December, 

I'll show you that soon too... here is one more of my moms... I love her house, especially that door.

I'm starting to feel the warm fuzziness of the holidays... I love it!

And it causes me to have an urge to bake... this week it was snickerdoodles!!!

I must learn to control myself, I am so weak... but they are soooo yummy...

See Jack stalking the cookie?

Daniel often gives him bites when we aren't looking.

We did find a little time to hang out at home too....

this is what happened when I asked Tommy to give Daniel a book after his nap while I finished peeling some potatoes for this awesome soup...

That's just about the whole bookshelf there... Thanks Tommy.... very helpful....

This is what I found later that day after about ten minutes of unsettling quiet... Bella put him down for a nap...

 Looks super comfy doesn't it?

 

If you are the praying sort... please pray for the pace of life here to let up just a little bit so that hopefully sometime soon I can organize some more eloquent thoughts for you all.... 

and so I don't lose my mind entirely....

Hallways to Highways

It is getting cold...

long gone are the days of throwing on flip flops and walking out the door.

Now we wrestle with hoodies, sweaters, socks, boots, hats, and coats.... and the squirming baby who doesn't want any part of it.

He has so gotten that temper from me... 

this is what my mother was envisioning when I put my sister in the dryer and she said 

"I hope you have one just like you."

I am humbled by this one... he showed me that I'm not as smart as I thought.

If I had stopped at two I could have written a book about parenting...

Oh well... now I can write a comedy.

 

At least I know he will never be one to shy away from a challenge.

At least I can rest assured that this one can take care of himself.

With lots of guidance from God..... and his share of trouble too.

These two are not so tough... or opinionated.

But the three of them together? They balance each other nicely.

Bella brings the calm and the creativity.

Tommy adds the humor and a helping hands.

And Daniel pushes them all to go a little farther that any of them would go alone.

When I see the three of them together I realize that more than anything else I can give them in life,

the best thing I've given them is each other.

The best thing God has given them is a family full of friends.

I pray more than anything else that they will keep these friendships strong... 

one day all to soon it will be a highway instead of a hallway that separates them.

But let me not get ahead of myself...

I can't even wrap my head around what it will be like to see four all together soon.

 But I know that once that little girl or boy arrives my memories of the days before will become hazy and I'll wonder why we didn't see the big gaping hole in our life that this child will mysteriously fill.

 Its been like that each time we have added to our family.... 

we are suddenly unable to explain how life before this child seemed so full.

 

And this baby will change the balance again, in a beautiful and unique way...

maybe she will be a spitfire, or maybe he will be a bookworm...

I can't wait to see who God is preparing for us..... 

 

and maybe while I'm trying to wait I'll clean that mirror...

If You Give a Man a Project.....

My parents asked my husband if he could please replace their leaking shower surround....

 

he said we have to do it in tile...

 

my mom said she would really like the floor redone as well, nothing fancy, just new linoleum....

 

he said we have to do tile....

 

my mom asked how hard it would be to do a new sink and cabinet...

 

he said might as well.... and  a new medicine cabinet too....

 

my mom said ok.... we'll just use the old light fixture though....

 

 he said no it doesn't match anything now....

 

my dad said we don't need a new toilet right???....

 

 my mom said might as well its to low to the ground anyway....

 

my husband said, by the way the walls can't be repaired easily we need to replace the drywall....

 

My parents said I thought we were just gonna replace the shower?

This bathroom has become his magnum opus... 

thank God its almost done.... I've forgotten what he looks like.

 

Plus every time we go there I end up taking Tommy outside to pee off the balcony because I'm to lazy and pregnant to take him upstairs... and I think we are starting to scare the neighbors.

Please don't call child welfare, I promise to take him upstairs if it goes below freezing.

A Mother's Work

I asked Tommy to put his boots on the other day so we could go home from Nana's... 

I told him they were in the middle of the cleaned up playroom.

he ignored me.... twice.

So I took away the flashlight he was looking at and made it clear, as he started to whine,

that this was a command, not a request.

Go get your boots on!

He came out of the playroom a few minutes later running with a plastic chair over his head... 

screaming and chasing his sister.

No boots on yet.

I asked where they were and he said.... "ummmmmm"

I asked again...

He says, "Dey are hidin fwom me!"

Liar liar.... we have a new milestone folks....

I'm sure this is not his first lie, but its the first major, obvious one I've caught.... little busy here ya know.

I sent him in again and he came out five minutes later with his boots finally on....

the wrong feet.

This is the true work of the mother... 

making them do for themselves that which would only take you two minutes 

when you know it will take them twenty and give you a headache.

Chocolate and Nudity

I have gotten into this cold weather by baking way to much....

Don't even ask how much of this I ate by myself.... I have fallen hard off the weight watchers wagon, 

and I landed at Paula Deen's house.

Butter, Butter everywhere....

And people keep (unhelpfully) telling me that I'm pregnant and its ok... 

they do not know the extent of my addictions to sweets obviously

Oh well, only 16 weeks to go. 

This baby is really starting to make itself known the last few weeks.

I always love feeling these little kicks.

And now I love that everyone else can feel them too.

I think Erma Bombeck said that if she had her life to live over she would stop wishing away nine months of pregnancy and instead revel in the fact that she was sharing a miracle with God.

I'm trying to do more reveling this time around.

You know, in between laundry and temper tantrums, and making dinner, and washing dishes!

And homeschooling....

We are doing a little bit of preschool at home this year.

I'm trying to do a letter of the week.

So far we've done great, we are up to the letter D.

I'm using a combination of Ideas from Confessions of a Homeschooler, and Preschool Daze.

The first is more practical and the second is more hands on.

I need to be more "hands on"... 

I hate messiness and crafts but if I'm going to homeschool I've gotta get used to it I suppose.

To counter act all the baking and paper work we are trying to get outside as much as possible and enjoy the last few warm days of fall.

I also enjoy watching this adorable kid toddle around in the leaves...

Mostly it is these two who get me up early (its hard to get mad since they are both so cute)

I try to run them ragged as much as possible...

And when I can't take anymore I try to get them to exhaust each other.

This works for about 2 minutes if I'm lucky and then usually ends in tears. 

And Jack sulks away to his corner giving me sad eyes.

... and sometimes Daniel does too.

Ok one last random thing... 

Daniel is so obviously my kid, first I would point to his bad temper. 

However... being that I'm so much more mature than I once was 

and seeing as how you might not know that I used to be a firecracker...

I will provide some freaky photographic evidence... ignore the fact that I'm naked, 

nudity doesn't count before your two right?

Me and my mommy circa 1984

Daniel.... on Tuesday night.

I have a mini me... God help us all.

Me

Blog Post #101 is going to be:

Laura 101

I'm going to be even more narcissistic than usual and give you 

101 random things and thoughts about me and my life.

This is mostly for myself so I will not be offended if you have already quit reading....

1. I was a June baby, my sister was born in November... and I've always felt it wasn't fair to her since she loves summer so much more than me. I know she was always jealous I got to have outdoor parties.

2. I have lived in the same county all my life... I am so boring.

3. I would love to travel someday but I am terrified of flying.
I've only done it three times.
The last time was a stormy night over the Caribbean and that was my last straw.
Once we landed the pilot said "that's about as close as you get..."
Oh yes it is... cause I'm not flying EVER again....
well till the kids are grown anyway....

4. I have just realized 101 things is A Lot....

5. I plan to home school our kids and I've just started doing preschool with Bella.
It is easier and harder than I thought.

6. I hate math and can barely do any algebra... so for that we will be getting a tutor.

7. When I was in kindergarten my sister stabbed me in the chest with a pencil, I still have a mark from it.
She has a bad temper that one.

8. I have had eight dogs in 27 years.... it is really just a coincidence that this is number eight.
And does that seem like a lot to anyone else?

9. I think I've had about 15 cats in my life, but the math is a little fuzzy because I'm counting two litter also which we didn't keep.... sorry to Bob Barker or any of his followers...
no more cats for awhile. Promise.

10. I just learned how to make gravy last year...
when I was about to move out and get married I had a mini panic attack that I didn't know how to do this.
To me it meant I was incapable of running a house.
I was right about being incapable of running a house
but that was more to do with not knowing how to do laundry than not knowing how to make gravy.

11. This was a cute idea but I'm never gonna make it to 101....

12. My husband has 11 brothers and sisters.
I have 1 sister.
This creates problems in that we had a very different upbringing
and therefore have very different world veiws.
That's my nice way of saying that kids from big families are not your average cookies...
Actually it might have made him easier to live with now that I'm thinking about it.

He is pretty laid back about almost anything, guess you would have to be?

13. My Grandma lived to be 90... if I make it that long it will be 2073.
I am excited to get to see the "summer of '69"... if can still walk and know my own name.

14. I was only 20 when I got engaged... 21 when I got married.

15. I am terrified of dead bodies.
The first time I handled a whole roasting chicken I nearly had a panic attack.
I'm serious you can ask my mother I called her.

16. I am scared of the dentist. It goes beyond a general dislike.
Petrified. 

17. I love to scrapbook but I'm afraid I've let it become a thing I have to do rather than a  hobby.

18. I want a laptop desperately but having a nice desktop makes it impossible for me to justify.
Help me... give me reasons.....

19. I have a nose like a bloodhound.
I love air fresheners and pretty smelly candles, Tom can't stand this but I think he is getting used to it.

20. I also associate smells with memory constantly.
My sister does this too. We are always walking into a place and looking at each other and saying
"this reminds me of....." and we always agree on whatever it is.

21. I don't have many "favorites", I don't do commitment well.
But I think my favorite color is green.

22. I play the piano, I'm not very good but I love it and it relaxes me.

23. When I was born my mom says I made squeaking noises....like a dog toy, thankfully I grew out of it.
Don't laugh... it was an actual condition with an actual name.

24. I love chocolate... to and unhealthy extreme.
But only milk chocolate, I hate dark chocolate... and nothing with nuts.

25. I'm horrible at keeping secrets, But I've gotten much better with age.

26. I honestly love every single season equally... for the first few weeks and then when the newness wears off I'm ready for the next thing.
I have a short attention span.

27. I really dislike winter after Christmas is over and every year I pray for a white Christmas.
Seriously pray hard.... I think the last one was more than 4 years ago... so sad.

28. I can't leave a Christmas tree up after the 27th.... Its a pet peeve of mine.
The tree is my favorite thing until the 26th and then I can't look at it for one more minute.
I think its like a post Christmas depression.... I love it so much that I can't stand for it to be over and so I must remove all traces of it to feel better.

29. I am running out of things to say....

30. Ok I dragged it out till 30 which makes me feel better about myself.

Good Night!

In Bloom

This is my One Hundredth Blog Post!

I am going to be painfully honest now....

I didn't think I could stick it out this long, 

its not always fun to document our family.

 

"What did she just say!? She doesn't love her own children!?"

Wait... focus... listen...

Sometimes the day has been so long and so exhausting that the last thing I can imagine doing is going back over it in my head once the children are finally asleep.

 

Some days are just filled up with crying and messes. 

Spaghetti sauce on the wall.

Leaking diapers in the cribs.

Chalk on the dog.

Fingerprints on everything...

the lingering odor of a dirty diaper that you just can't get rid of no matter what you do. 

 And at the end of it all you are left with nothing to show for it.

You yelled to much, 

they fought to much, 

the dog was left outside to long, 

the dinner you "made" was a step above dirt in nutritional value.

and you husband got home late again to see you microwaving making that dinner...

wearing the same thing you went to bed in the night before, but now with more stains and smells.

So what do I want to do when its all over at 8:01? 

When all the children have been cleaned,

kissed, hugged, prayed over, and threatened into silence.

 

I could collapses, and many nights I do.

Or I could come in here and force myself to seek out the silver lining of the day.

To ask God to remind me what was sweet and good today.

Then to polish it with pretty words, funny things they said, and cute pictures....

until it shines bright enough to light up the rest of the bleak picture I've been seeing.

 

Write until I've seen the good parts clearly enough to know that tomorrow, 

when three energetic sets of feet hit the floor, 

I will be dressed,

I will be smiling,

I will be ready to make it a better day.

 

 And part of what makes that day better is the encouragement I get from friends and family and all the other mom's who take any of they're precious time to read my ramblings.

The ones who say, me too.

I agree.

Thanks for the laugh.

hang in there.

 

I thought I was doing this for my kids to have a record of their childhoods someday.

I have a notoriously bad memory and I know someday it will fail me entirely.

I'm serious, I can't remember my own kids birth weights... don't worry I wrote that down too. 

But I've found now that I'm doing it way more for me, and the fact that the kids will hopefully appreciate it all  someday has just become a huge bonus.

I look at the world much differently when I look at as a blog post.

 

Here is what I mean...

I wrote back in August about Tom and the kids planting giant sunflowers even though it was way to late in the summer for them. I knew they wouldn't bloom but they had fun and really... they are 2 and 4. 

They weren't expecting much.

They started as seeds and then moved them outside.

We thought they would get to about two feet tall or so, and then die with the first frost.

But a few weeks ago we realized a few might actually make it to bloom. 

Low and behold, 

what do you know?

Two of them bloomed big bright and beautiful.

Being my pessimistic self, I told Tom to cut them for me before the frost so I could at least enjoy those two.

The rest would die before they could bloom was my reasoning.

I need to just stop talking because apparently God knows more about flowers than I do... 

being the designer and all.

Ok everyone probably knows more about flowers than I do.

 

But wouldn't you know it, they all bloomed.... are blooming still.

I was amazed.

They adjusted, they altered, they changed the plan to accommodate the circumstances.

They were not the six foot tall flowers they could have been, but they bloomed where they were planted 

as best they could.

I hope that is what I'm doing as a mother, I'm not working at a "real" job.

I'm not very involved in church right now.

I sometimes go days without seeing other adults besides my husband.

 

But I'm loving these kids, and helping my husband, and trying to make everyday better than the last.

Make the silver lining outshine the aggravations.

 

Maybe I won't be the person I could have been, someone important in the eyes of the world.

I don't even really worry about that anymore though.

I am blooming right here.