On the Potty Train

Monday morning marked the beginning of a new era for my little Cookie-one that doesn't include diapers, much to the delight of her mother!  Having no one else in the house presented me with the rare opportunity to focus solely on my youngest child, and I decided it was time to take advantage.  I moved the toy kitchen into the hallway next to the real kitchen so that she had something to entertain her while we stayed on the tiled floor.  We went straight to undies, and she had accidents all morning long. At nap time I put her in a diaper, and then in the afternoon went to undies again. By the end of the day, she was telling me when she needed to go, and the very last time she didn't go in her undies at all!  I was so proud of her!  I gave her a gummy bear each time she went on the toilet, even if she went in her undies first.  I stayed in the kitchen with her while she was awake, and as a result, my kitchen is nice and clean now!

Today we needed to be in the basement, so I took the potty chair downstairs with us.  She went nearly all morning without needing to go, and then when she did need to, she went in her undies just a little, but mostly in the toilet.  After lunch it was the same story.  I need to get her to drink more, I guess.  This evening we needed to go to the store, so I put a diaper on her and headed out.  She was really crabby the whole time that we were in Wal-Mart (that store makes me crabby, too!) and her diaper was wet by the time we were done.  She was crying so much of the time that I don't think I would have even understood her if she had told me that she needed to go, anyway.  Then we headed out to Subway to meet some friends for supper, and then to church for the monthly craft/"how-to" night with other ladies.  She told me when we were there that she needed to go, and she did!  On a big, regular toilet.  I was thrilled.  She was in a pull-up the rest of the evening and stayed dry.  I am just so proud of her, and so thankful that the Lord blessed me with such a smart little girl. 

Just Us Girls

I found out yesterday (Sunday) that it is not a good idea to take a toddler to a movie.  Especially right after her nap.  Especially when it's 90+ degrees outside and you have to stand in line out of the theater because there are so many people there.  And especially, especially not when she has no concept of being quiet so that other people can watch the movie. 

Oh well, we tried.  I thought it would be a good idea to take little Cookie to see Cars 2 at our local theater.  They were having a special 4:00 matinee, and I figured that we would be all rested up from naps and ready to roll.  Well, at 3:30 she was still sleeping, so I went to check on her and I think I accidentally woke her up before she was ready to be awake. Oops.  You'd think I was a rookie with a mistake like that.  Stupid creaky old doors.  We hurried up and put some snacks and drinks in a big purse, changed her diaper, and rushed out the door...into the heat.  Ugh.  Western Nebraska can sure get hot in the summer!  We drove by the theater and the line was out the door.  I was hoping we would get in...and we finally did, with only ten minutes to showtime.  That wouldn't have been a problem, but then they gave us these free drink bottles that they were filling for no charge at the concession counter...and even though I brought drinks, who can pass up free Dr. Pepper?!  So by the time we stood in line for the movie and our free drinks, we had missed the fun short movie at the beginning and could barely find a seat.  I don't think I have ever seen anyone move as slowly as the people behind that counter.  Seriously, folks, you're just filling drinks and dishing up popcorn, with an occasional candy thrown in.  It's not that hard. 

Sorry. Can you tell that I was more than a little annoyed? 

Anyway, then, it was so dark in the theater that I just stood near the back trying to let my eyes adjust when a kind lady told me there was a seat at the end of her row.  Luckily, it was the very back of the theater, so when we did have to get up and leave, we didn't disturb a bunch of people. 

Cookie was super good for the first twenty minutes or so.  She was loving the fruit punch in her drink bottle, and sat quietly eating popcorn and drinking her drink.  Then she decided she needed to get up and move around...all over my nine-month-pregnant belly.  Ouch.  Not fun for mama.  After about twenty more minutes of her trying to have her own way, I decided we had better leave.  The lady in front of me kept turning around and looking at me.  I wanted to ask her, "Hey, all these 8 year old boys with you...weren't they toddlers once? Don't you remember?"  But I didn't.  I just left instead. 

Cookie was extremely crabby for the rest of the night, and I put her in bed at 7:30.  It was gloriously quiet for the rest of the evening.  I watched another lame chick flick that shouldn't have made me cry, but with my hormone-induced moods, I cry at just about everything these days. 

I went to bed missing my hubby and kids, ready to sleep off the day and try again tomorrow. 

Now it's tomorrow, and I'm ready for the potty training to be done.  We've only been at it for five hours now.  *sigh*

Cookie and Me

I know it has been over a month since I last posted...no good excuses.  I'm still learning about "how to blog" and sometimes I just don't really even know what I want to write about.  Other times, I have so many ideas that I can't decide.

And often, I'm just too exhausted at the end of the day to write anything at all.  I am 35 weeks pregnant now (read: huge, uncomfortable, and cranky), and once the kids are in bed all I want to do is watch a movie or catch up on my blogs.  Anyway, that aside, I have decided that for the next few days I am going to write something about each day.  My hubby and two oldest kids are gone for the next week and a half, so I am getting some fabulous one-on-one time with my youngest daughter.  And, because I have no memory/brain cells, I have vowed to record our daily adventures here on the blog.  Just in case anyone else cares.

Yesterday we started our day by going to Bible study at church.  This summer we are doing it every other week for six weeks, and I am so glad.  The past couple of summers we haven't done one at all, and I really miss it.  I find that I need the accountability to stay in the Scriptures on a regular basis.  I have been so crazy lately (yes, blaming it on my baby again) that the only thing that keeps me grounded is Jesus.  Wait, what am I saying?  It doesn't matter if I'm pregnant or not, He is always the only one who can really keep me grounded.  So anyway, that was a really nice time of fellowship and sharing and learning about how to pray God's Word.  (We're doing Beth Moore's study called Living Free.)  One more thing about my Bible study ladies--they are so great!  Just months after we moved here, when I was expecting my third baby, they threw me a baby shower!  And they're doing it again!  For my fourth baby!  I can't believe it.  They are just too wonderful.  But, I digress...

After Bible study, we rushed home and grabbed our swimsuits, towels, swim diapers (only for Cookie) and sunscreen, filled up the gas tank, and headed out of town to a pool about forty minutes away.  Yes, we do have a pool in our little town, but the one we went to yesterday has more attractions.  A couple of waterslides, a giant tower that spews cold water over all the moms, and a baby pool with one of those mushrooms that my kids hate.  About six or seven of us made the trip.  It was a fun afternoon once I figured out that Cookie does NOT like to be in her swim tube.  I have this really neat little floaty thing that has a sunshade and everything, but she hated it.  She just wanted to be able to run around and do her own thing in the water.  Out of all my kids, she loves the pool the most!

Once I figured that I was sufficiently toasted and she was sufficiently worn out, I bribed her out of the pool with the promise of ice cream.  It worked, too.  She might only be 20 months old, but she knows a good thing when it's presented to her.  ("I-keem!")  So we drove to Sonic and enjoyed a milkshake in the backseat of the van.  Next up was Wal-Mart (exciting, I know...) because they have some things there that our store doesn't carry.  Now we were really tired and really ready to come home.

She fell asleep on the way, but that didn't deter me once we got to town.  I still went over and watered plants for a friend who is out of town (and wouldn't you know it, we got rain last night so I didn't even need to bother), attempted to check out some movies at the library (they turned out to be closed early on Friday nights), and finally just decided we needed to crash at home.  By this time, she was screaming-but once we re-hydrated with some Gatorade, life was good.  From there on out, it was pretty much just bath, supper, books, and bed.  She surprised me by staying awake longer in her crib than I thought she would.  I took a shower and watched a good old movie, Father of the Bride.  Of course, because I am crazy and hormonal, I cried through many parts of it.  But I also laughed at many parts.  Steve Martin can almost always make me laugh.

Today we began our day by cuddling in bed, until she asked for a drink so many times that I felt guilty staying there any longer.  ("Gink! Gink!")  During breakfast I checked out the ads for garage sales, and we were off.  We hit our local coffee shop for an iced latte and browsed the book store.  I went to one yard sale, saw absolutely nothing, and decided to message a friend to see if there was anything else good out there (she had been out earlier).  There wasn't anything worth driving around for, so we went to Wal-Mart (don't judge me, I never go two days in a row...it just happened) to get Cookie some sunglasses of her own.  She had major glasses envy before the other two left on their trip and I thought it would be fun to get her some.  Five frozen meals, a gallon of milk, two boxes of cereal, one dress, one box of hair ties ("Bows! Bows!"), one package of 2T/3T undies, several paint chips, and one pair of toddler sunglasses later, we were out the door.  I really wanted to get a good movie to watch tonight, so we hit the library for a few minutes and finally made it back home before lunch.  I even had time to clean the playroom before noon.

One great thing about being pregnant is when the nesting instinct takes hold.  I have just been waiting and waiting for this to happen...and it finally has. :)  I think it is a combination of nesting and only having one child to run around after, but I got a lot done today.  I started at the front of my house and just cleaned room by room.  First I would pick up and put away everything that was laying around.  If it went into another room, I took it into that room and put it away...and went RIGHT BACK to the room I was working on.  It might sound funny, but this is hard for me to do.  I see things in that room that need to be put away, and I have to consciously make myself ignore them and wait until I'm on that room to put them away.  So after everything was put away, I would dust the room (even the doors/trim!), and then vacuum.  I also did some picture hanging in my son's room because we had just put his bed up on a loft and there were a couple of things that had to be re-arranged.  I also hung up new house numbers on the front of our house.  I'm pretty handy with a power drill, if I may say so myself.  I worked all through Cookie's nap and then for about another hour after she was up.  In that time I finished the front porch, the play room, the living room, dining room, bathroom, hallway, and my son's room.  I also got the girls' room all picked up, but haven't done any dusting or vacuuming in there yet.  Monday I will tackle the kitchen and our bedroom.  And down the stairs to the basement bathroom.  Ugh.  The greatest thing about cleaning with only one child here is that my house is still clean at the end of the day!  Although...there might be a few pizza crumbs on my couch now. 

I decided a frozen pizza sounded great for supper (I know, I'm so gourmet), so we had that and watched some Andy Griffith on Netflix.  I bought the kind that comes with frozen cookie dough too, and we enjoyed some fresh cookies after the pizza.  It was a night of very healthy eating around here.

We were just sitting down to read some books before bed when the tornado siren went off.  We spent the next hour or so in the basement (I'm a chicken) listening to the radio, sending texts, and checking facebook to see what was happening "out there."  We got some baseball-sized hail (thankfully no broken windows this time!) but no tornadoes touched down here.  God is so good to protect us.  I was thankful when we were able to come back upstairs.  Little Cookie was just worn out and went to bed without a sound.

Now I've spent a LOOOONG time writing a blog post that is super long and probably boring, but someday, years from now, I will come back and read it and remember what I did on this day with my little girl.  My philosophy for the next few days is to be productive, but to savor the moments.  I am balancing that with not over-doing it.  I don't really want to go into labor yet, especially not with my husband hours away. 

I am looking forward to a good night's sleep tonight, a refreshing morning at church, and a fun afternoon with my sweet Cookie tomorrow.  Maybe we'll go see Cars 2...just because we can.

Wally World

A few thoughts on Wal-Mart...

1. Why do people call it Wally World?  Is it because they are trying to give the impression that this is a fun place to go, instead of a mother's nightmare?
2. One thing that I do like about going to our local store is that I usually see a lot of people I know.  Especially, apparently, if it's 8:30 on a Monday night.  I saw two other mom friends and one told me that she had seen like three other people she knew.  I guess we all had the same great idea about putting our kids in bed and hitting the door.  And Wal-Mart is the most exciting place we have to go here in our small Nebraska town...
3. Why can't people put their carts away in the cart returns?  Or push them out the exit into the cart area just outside the door?  Tonight as I was leaving, a cart was blocking the exit.  The person who left it there had to walk a mere ten additional feet to get the cart out of other people's way and into the cart return area.  Then, when I got to my van, I found a cart directly behind my van!  What the heck, people?!  I know that you don't realize that the van owner is a big, tired, cranky, pregnant lady...but- I AM!  And I have to push your cart, along with my own, back to the cart return just so I can back out my van.  *sigh*
4. Why does milk cost more at the store where you supposedly "Save More,[and] Live Better," than it does at my local Safeway?  I paid $4.00 for a gallon of milk tonight!  The price was nearly enough to put me into labor.  And it's not time yet, so that would have been really bad.  But really, who wants to go to two different stores just to get a better price on milk?  *sigh again*
5. All in all, in spite of my complaints, I really am thankful that I can just hop in my van and, in 7 minutes, be at a store where I can buy (almost) whatever I need to get through the rest of the week/complete my project/etc.  I just have to remember to have the right attitude when I'm there, in the midst of the Wally-World-ness.

Mother's Day

Mother's Day always sneaks up on me. I'm not really sure why. And yes, I do know that it was last Sunday. I'm just late blogging about it because...well...I'm late blogging about everything. Plans to change that soon.  But I digress.

This year, I decided I wanted to do something homemade for my mom and mother-in-law on Mother's Day.  Because of the wonders of Google Reader, I am able to view the creative genius of hundreds of other women and never have to come up with my own ideas. It's great for a busy mom like myself.  I found this tutorial, and I knew right away that it would be perfect for my moms. 

Of course, I found this only a couple of days before Mother's Day, so by the time I actually got the towels done, it was Monday (yes, the one after the holiday) before they were in the mail.  Luckily for me, both my mom and m.i.l. are incredibly understanding ladies.  Also, I don't think they've ever received anything in the mail from me in time for the actual event.  Sigh.  Some day, I will be organized.  I hope.

So, carefully following the directions in the tutorial, I made a shopping list and noted exactly what I'd need to make these beautiful gifts. 

Okay, not really. I just glanced at the tutorial, thought to myself that I'd pick up some towels and some ribbons, and that I'd use fabric I had laying around my sewing area.  Well.  I got home with my towels, a few spools of ribbon, and no fabric, and once I looked at the tutorial and actually read the instructions, realized that my plan would not work.  I ended up exchanging one set of towels and getting new ribbon and buying fabric specifically for the project.   I had a couple extra trips to Wal-Mart and the fabric store on Saturday (yes, this would be the day before Mother's Day).  On the upside, the leftover ribbon and fabric will do many more sets of towels! 

The completed set for my mother-in-law!

These towels and ribbon were really easy to work with.  I just bought three fat quarters at the quilt shop and used them for the fabric.  As soon as I saw these bright, springy colors, I thought of my mother-in-law. That's what I love about this project; you can really customize it to the taste of the giftee.  Is that even a word?  Giftee?  Sorry.  Anyway...the only thing I did really differently than the tutorial was to just cut a strip of fabric 2 1/2 inches wide, and then I laid it across the towel and cut it to match.  That way, I was sure it fit.  The grosgrain ribbon sort of just stuck to the towels because of the nature of the fabric, so that made it very easy to keep them straight during sewing. 

I just hope they don't fall apart during their first washing!

The set that I did for my mom was a little different.  I used a different type of towel, and the ribbon was satin, so it was harder to get it to stay in place.  I had to resort to...gasp...pinning.  You would think that I would just learn my lesson about pinning, after all the sewing I have messed up as a result of not pinning because I want to save time.  Not so.  But I did pin these.  And they turned out very nicely.

I love the soft, muted colors of these fabrics.

My mom instantly came to mind when I found these fabrics!  Her house is decorated with soft colors like these, and the effect is so soothing.  It's a very relaxing home.  I wanted to make something that would fit in with that scheme.  

These were a little tricky because of the pattern on the white towels.  The lines are not exactly straight with the hem (thanks a lot, Wal-Mart), so I had to decide if I wanted to follow the lines or the hem.  I decided to go with the lines, since the last line was covered up and the hem's crookedness probably wouldn't be as noticeable as the crookedness of a line compared to the ribbon.  Does that make sense?  Anyway....they were still really fun to do.  I used the same ribbon on the top of all of these, so that made the sewing faster than the other set when I had to change thread a few times.  

Mom's set!

I encourage you to check out the tutorial if this is something that you have thought about doing but have never had the chance to try!  It's really not hard.  If you can cut and sew a straight line, you can do this.  And the finished product makes it look a lot more difficult than it is.  So you look like a sewing genius.  I am going to try it with some plain diapers and make burp cloths next.  I will let you know how they turn out!

Holding My Possessions Loosely

My sweet five year old son taught me an important lesson today.  I really shouldn't be surprised; he oftentimes speaks with wisdom beyond his years.

This morning I was talking to my husband about donating to a needy family a couch that is in our basement and really never gets used.  He was all for the idea. I then mentioned that they have a 3 year old son who could use some toys, and almost before I finished my sentence, my son was on his way to the playroom to fill up a bag with toys.  He brought it back to me to show me what he had chosen, and I had to hold my tongue from protesting.  A couple of things he had been given for birthdays or Christmas, and even though he had outgrown them, to me, they had sentimental value.  I smiled and told him that they would make the little boy very happy, and he had never looked happier.  I went into the kitchen to continue making my breakfast, and as I thought about what had happened, I was convicted by the Holy Spirit about my reservations.  Why would I ever try to subdue the generosity of my child?  Jesus spoke often of loving others more than yourself, and of giving away possessions in order not to feel tied to worldly things.  Don't I want my son, who has professed faith in Christ at such a young age, to be more like Him?   I also certainly want to encourage the Fruits of the Spirit in my children: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  My son's willingness to give away perfectly good toys to a total stranger gives just a glimpse of the softness of his heart.  I often pray that I might be as generous and unselfish as he.

Learning How to "Do School"

I found another homeschool blog to follow, and a couple of days ago, they featured this post.  Even though I don't struggle with this problem with my own five-year old boy, it was a nice reassurance that so far, I am doing things just fine with our school. 

I had great plans at the beginning of the school year to homeschool five days a week, for 28 weeks, until we finished the kindergarten curriculum I had bought.  We started the year in October, because September was a very busy month with a lot of company visiting.  We did our lessons as faithfully as we could until Thanksgiving, when we traveled back to IL to visit with family.  When we returned home, we found out that I was (unexpectedly) expecting our fourth child.  And then the morning sickness and fatigue hit.  Except it wasn't just in the morning, and it wasn't just any old fatigue.  I was sick ALL day long, more so in the evening, and tired ALL of the time.  I often fell asleep after lunch while the kids played nearby and the baby took a nap.  All this to say, we didn't do school for a while. I kept telling myself that we would get back at it after Christmas, and we did, for a few days, but not with the excitement that I had previously had.  Then, my baby decided to quit taking a morning nap, which meant that the time of day when my kids were most eager to learn was also when my baby was very fussy and needy, and it made it pretty difficult to teach them in the mornings.  So we quit again for a while. 

So, we still haven't gotten back into a routine of school.  I was feeling pretty guilty about it a couple of days ago, until I realized how much my kids already know.  My five-year-old wouldn't have even been able to go to kindergarten in the public schools this year because he was too young.  However, he can: read, write all of the upper- and lower-case letters, do simple addition, count past 100, name all shapes and colors, follow directions to build Legos, and probably change the oil in our van and the lawn mower.  He knows more about how an engine works than I do, and he creates things with Tinker-toys and his marble run that I would never be able to come up with on my own.  He can also tie his own shoes!  So, even though we haven't officially "done school" for most of this year, he has continued to learn and grow every day.  He eagerly reads now, where as a few weeks ago he viewed it as a chore.  When he expresses interest in a certain topic, we go to the library and check out books about that topic, and find videos and articles on the Internet to educate us. 

My three year old has learned and grown this year, too. She knows all of her letters, the sounds they make (all but two or three), and can write her own name.  She knows how to spell "mama" and "papa" and the names of her siblings as well.  She is learning how to count to 100.  We read books aloud every afternoon and again every evening before bed.  She will be reading on her own before I know it. 

I don't feel guilty at all when I think of how this "school year" has turned out, even though it is quite different than what I had planned back in September.  My kids enjoy learning, whether it is from YouTube videos or books from the library or from the Bible.  I have learned to view everyday matters as opportunities to teach my kids.  We learn every day, in every situation, from going to the grocery store to baking cookies in the kitchen.  As long as my children express an interest in learning and continue to enjoy it, I will feel like we are succeeding as a homeschooling family.

These Tulips Made Me Cry

I know.  It's completely ridiculous.  I planted these tulip bulbs last October or November (imagine that, I can't remember...) and a couple of weeks ago I had completely given up hope that they would show themselves this spring.  I waited all winter, SO excited for spring to come so that I could enjoy my beautiful tulips.  Friends' and neighbors' flower beds were all filled with beautiful spring blooms, but mine was bare.  But then, just a few days ago, my kids and husband met me at the back door with the happy news that they had counted twenty-two tulips coming up in the flower bed!  I did a little happy dance and then wiped my eyes.  I think I worried my husband a bit.

Here is the flower bed where they are planted.  Last fall, it looked just like the rest of my yard:

...a lifeless expanse of rock bordering nearly the entire backyard.  We didn't bother planting anything the first summer we were here, because we honestly didn't think we would be here long enough to mess with landscaping.  Now, of course, two years later, I wish we had dug right in that first summer.  Oh well.  Live and learn.  But, last fall, I had just had ENOUGH of the barrenness, and decided that I WOULD have some color in my yard come spring.  So I hauled all of the rocks off that particular stretch of land and just dumped them in the corner.  What else could I do with them?

I don't know why that table is upside-down on the rocks....but that's the corner where I dumped all of them.  I am hoping that I can convince my husband to get rid of all of the rocks this spring/summer and plant beautiful plants and flowers all around our backyard.  Maybe a few lilac bushes.  They do really well here in western NE.  If you have any suggestions for other plants and flowers that grow well here, please comment and let me know what they are!

Some of them are taller than others, and many that I planted haven't shown up at all, but I don't even care.  They are the most beautiful little tulips I have ever seen.

Rag Quilts

I was busy sewing last week for some sweet baby girls (and their mamas!).  My sister recently had a baby, and I made her a baby rag quilt. 

I love making these blankets. They are actually quite easy (shh! Don't tell!), and they go fairly quickly.  My biggest challenge is finding flannel that is wide enough, especially when they put annoying labels on the selvages....so don't look at this one too closely.  In fact, I love making them so much that after borrowing a cutting mat and rotary cutter from a friend to make my first one, I went out and bought my own so that I could continue making them.  I also bought the special little snipping scissors that have a spring so your hand doesn't get cramped from snipping seams.  You really can't do a good job without those tools, not to mention that it would take FOREVER, and I really have used them a lot. 
My second biggest challenge when sewing these blankets is finding the time when my baby girl is sleeping.  Nap times are so precious.  There are so many options for how to spend my toddler-free time (translated: no baby getting into EVERYTHING that she's not supposed to!).  However, when I have a sewing project with a deadline, that takes priority.  My sewing center is in my basement, which is also where all of our homeschool stuff is, and the computer, and...well, just about everything that I want to keep out of her reach.  So it's pretty impossible to sew down there while she is with me.  Thankfully, she took great naps last week.  I think she's growing or something.

This quilt is one that I made for my dear friend who is expecting a baby girl in May.  I just can't wait to meet her!  We threw a baby shower for her on Saturday, and it was fun to be able to give her this for her sweet girl. 

Please ignore the wrinkly nature of the blanket...it wasn't quite dry when I took it out of the dryer, and I mistakenly thought it would air dry the rest of the way just fine.  I was wrong.  Looking at the pictures now, I realize how wrinkled it really was.  Oh well.  Live and learn, I guess.  God likes to throw in little things like that to keep me humble. 
I have another one that is done except for the clipping and washing, for a friend who's expecting a baby boy in May.  It's fun for me to think of and pray for each baby as I am sewing, and for their mamas, too.  I pray that they will be covered with love each time they are wrapped up in these blankets, and that their mamas will know how much I love them each time they snuggle their baby in it.

Piethons Like To Krl Op

Yesterday I gave my son his first book report assignment. I told him to get a book that he wanted to read, and then he would have to write three sentences about it when he was done. So he picked a little board book called Good Morning, Python! This is his book report:

In case you can't read his phonetic spelling, this is what it says:

Piethonsliketokrlop.

Pythonshacheohteofegges.

Pythonsdonthaveenieleegs.

In case you still can't read it, this is what it really says:

Pythons like to curl up.

Pythons hatch out of eggs.

Pythons don't have any legs.

And then there is a picture of a python all curled up.  I like how the spelling of "python" changes from the first sentence to the next two. He looked back at the book for some ideas on what to write, and realized that he had spelled it wrong the first time.  As you can see, I am very proud of him and his first book report.  I was sad when he brought it to me all crumbled up this afternoon.  I meant to put it in a safer place before then.  Oh, well.

It's funny how little things like this make me excited to be a homeschooling mom.  I love getting to see him in action, learning and applying his new knowledge.  I love that we can just pick something that he is interested in, and then learn all about it.  After he read this book and wrote this, we got on YouTube and found some really interesting python videos.  One showed a python swallowing a deer-whole.  My main goal of homeschooling is to instill in my children a love of learning.  Judging by the amount of snake and spider videos they wanted to watch, I think we are well on our way.  Either that, or my kids just like creepy things.  I prefer to believe the former.

Gaining Some Perspective

God is so good.  Yesterday was a series of trials, and today was not without its own, but through it all, God has been faithful.  So many people were praying for my sweet boy to get feeling better, and he was, by 5:30 this morning when he "couldn't sleep."  It's probably because he slept sooooo much yesterday.  But anyway, it was a good excuse to let him come snuggle with me in bed since my hubby was gone.  The girls have stayed healthy so far, which is a good sign, and I am feeling great.  The hot water heater blew last night so we spent the day with no hot water, BUT-we had water.  I am so thankful for that.  This morning the baby got a bath in the kitchen sink.  Turns out that a tea kettle full of boiling water mixed with a sink of cold water makes just the right temperature for a bath.  :)  She wouldn't have even needed one, except for the fact that she is feeling very independent right now...which translates into, "Mama, let me feed this oatmeal to myself, and while I'm at it, I'm going to smear it all over my hair and face!  I'd like to see you clean THAT up with a cold washcloth!" 

I felt very Little House-ish...and then thought about how pathetic that was.  All I did was boil some water to  heat it instead of turning on my hot water faucet.  I have such an easy life.  Sure, I complain when my appliances don't work, and that my windows are old and don't seal well, and that the laundry never stops piling up.  But hey-that means I have appliances (that make my life easier!) and that I have windows (to keep out the elements and let in the light), and that we have enough clothing (to clothe two families).  Days like this, ones that come with an extra inconvenience, give me two choices.  I can choose to complain about how rough my life is, or I can be thankful for how easy it usually is.

When I think about my brothers and sisters in Christ who are living in poverty-by choice-to spread the Gospel around the world, I can't even complain about not having hot water.  When I think about orphans in Africa who never get a bath, or a hot meal, or any number of other conveniences I take for granted, it makes it impossible for me to feel grumpy about my own situation.

I thank God for reminding me of others who are truly in need, so that I can see how insignificant my own needs are in comparison.

The Good, the Bad, and...the Poopy?

For anyone who thinks that spiritual warfare is not real, or that it's exaggerated in order to get Christians all riled up about something, let me explain, in everyday terms, what it looks like.
It looks like a sick five-year-old getting diarrhea in his underwear because he thought it was just gas, and then proceeding to throw up while on the toilet, and then continuing to have diarrhea all morning long.
It looks like a three-year-old who can't obey anything we say the first time, and is constantly bothering her little sister and making her cry.
It looks like a one-year-old who is not happy, no matter what, and can't express herself enough to let us know what on earth is wrong.
It looks like a mom and dad who had to take semi-cold showers this morning because the water heater is broken-again.
It looks like lots of cloth diapers piling up that can't be washed until the water heater is fixed.
It looks like a husband who has to try to balance working from home today and fixing the water heater before he leaves for the weekend.
At one point this morning, while the Buddy was on the toilet, Punkin Munkin was crying for getting scolded, and Cookie was screaming for no apparent reason, my husband remarked that it was like we are under attack. I think he is absolutely right.  He is headed out tonight to go to the Freedmen Conquest with several other men from church, and in preparation, he and three friends have been fasting since Wednesday.  We are both hoping and praying for God to move in mighty ways at that event, both in his own personal life and in the lives of the other men who are attending.  I think Satan is going to try to push me to my every motherly limit today, and he hopes that at 4:00 when it's time for my husband to leave, I will beg and plead for him not to leave me with these three children....alone.  Well, he can give me his best shot, but I am confident in the power of Christ.  Even if all three kids end up on the toilet by the end of the day, I will not do or say anything to try to prevent my husband from going to this event.  I have seen firsthand how God can move in the lives of men when they are together, and I fully expect Him to show up in all His glory this weekend in Lincoln.
So again, if you are a bit of a skeptic when it comes to the whole arena of spiritual warfare, I encourage you to come spend the weekend with us, and then revisit your beliefs.  And don't forget to bring your hand sanitizer.

Happy Winds-day!

I usually don't mind the crazy weather here in western Nebraska.  In fact, I enjoy the summers a lot, because they are so dry and it gets nice and cool every night. The fall is beautiful, and this winter was pretty mild. I only have one complaint.  The wind.  It never ceases, especially in the spring.  We have some warm weather, almost summer-like, and it gets me all excited for this new season.  But then...the wind hits.  I have to bolt down the toys outside and make sure the grill is pushed all the way up against the house so that it doesn't get blown over.  My kids have to hold hands in the Wal-Mart parking lot, not for fear of traffic, but because that way they weigh more and won't blow away.  The neighbor's flags across the street are constantly standing straight out from the pole.  And my old old windows let in dust. Lots of dust.
In spite of all of that, I love Spring.  I have looked forward to this season for the past three months.  I thought winter was never going to be done.  I love the reminder of new life, new beginnings, new experiences.  The kids see everything through eyes with only five (or fewer) years of experience...and they help me to see it that way, too.  Every day Munkin Punkin has been wanting to go outside to ride her bike.  My little Buddy is loving bike rides with Papa.  And Baby Doll is old enough to realize that she loves being outdoors-and hates coming back in!
The wind has tried to throw a wrench in our springtime plans, but we are not letting it. The kids are still going outside everyday to get fresh air and exercise (and to give me some peace and quiet!), and we are still learning about and discussing the best part of spring-new life.  I hope you had a Happy Winds-day, as Pooh would say, and that you have had a chance to contemplate the newness of life that we can all have in Christ.

God's Good Blessings

Today was a beautiful day, in every sense of the word. I got to spend it with the four people I love the most in this world: my husband and three kids.
After a long month away from worshiping at our church, I was finally able to join my brothers and sisters in song this morning. Then, it was off to teach children's church. We were blessed with 23 kids, all excited and incredibly well-behaved, which is a rare blessing.  I met another home-schooling mom who recently moved to the area with their four girls, one of whom was adopted from China. Needless to say, we had a lot to talk about and I am looking forward to (hopefully) spending more time getting to know her.
After church, the kids and I had a simple lunch of PB&J while my hubby was at a youth group sponsors meeting. Finally, we were all together again and decided to go out to enjoy the incredibly beautiful weather.  We took the kids to the park first, then hit DQ, Wal-Mart for new bikes, and then the disc golf park.  They didn't have any the right size for our Buddy, but Munkin Punkin got a new bike just her size, and was so excited about it that she had to ride it even more after supper.  Needless to say, she conked out as soon as her head hit the pillow.
As I was sitting on my couch tonight, enjoying my laptop, snacks, and iced tea, it occurred to me how blessed my life is. I was thinking about the people in Japan, less than one percent of whom know Jesus, and it made my heart ache for them. Not only because I was sitting there enjoying every physical comfort, but because I have the peace of mind that comes from knowing the One who is in control.  As I reflect on my beautiful day, it drives me to ask myself, "Did I do anything to teach my children that life is more than fun times, ice cream, and new toys? Did I in any way communicate that, no matter what happens-earthquakes, tragedies, loss of any sort-that it's all going to be okay?" Because, in the end, "we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28)  Even if we can't see the good, or understand how it could possibly be good, it is. Because God said so. I am so thankful for that, and also for the good that I CAN see in my life.

It is Well With my Soul

I have always loved to sing to my children. When my little Buddy was a baby, I would rock him to sleep every night and sing him a song. It was usually Amazing Grace.  My Punkin Munkin wants me to sing Be Thou My Vision every single night when I tuck her in. I'm sure I could sing it in my sleep. And my baby girl loves anything that I sing.  It is a great way to immediately calm her...to calm both of us, actually.

I like singing hymns the most.  I have such fond memories of singing hymns in church when I was a child.  I grew up in Baptist churches and hymns were pretty much the only songs we sung.  I guess I want to share that part of my childhood with my kids, because we don't often sing hymns in church anymore.  When we do, and my five-year-old can belt out the lyrics without even looking at the screen, I feel like I've succeeded in passing down that part of my Christian heritage.

There is just something about seeing my three year old sing Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing. It centers me and reminds me that there is still innocence in the world.  It makes me think, just for a moment, that maybe we are doing at least one thing right as parents.

Overall Bib

This was my afternoon project...a friend is expecting a baby girl and her shower is tomorrow.  I am so thankful for this fast, cute pattern! I have used it lots in the past few months for friends' baby shower gifts. It will get a lot of use in the coming months as well, because I have seven (7!) friends expecting babies between now and October. And that's just what I could count off the top of my head.

Having a Go

My kids love to watch Kipper. In case you're not familiar with that particular show, it's a cartoon about a little dog and his friends. It originated in Britain, so they have some different sayings than we do here in the States. One of them that my children use all the time is "Let me have a go at it!"  It cracks me up every time I hear them say it.  However, it seemed appropriate here. Today, I am doing something that I have long desired to do...okay, maybe just since I got addicted to Google Reader and the endless possibilities it provided...I am starting my own blog.
I have been thinking about trying this for a while now, and decided that even if nobody else ever reads it, it would still be worth my time.  At least I will have some of my crazy life recorded somewhere, so that tomorrow, when I forget what I did today, I can look at my blog and remember. This is the plan, anyway. We'll see how it pans out.
Thanks for stopping by! Hopefully you'll come back and have a laugh at the craziness that is my life.