Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Time is flying...






















Apparently I started this blog when I had a lot less to do! I've been missing some days and forget about anything deep!!
Here is the weekend synopsis:
Tale of two cities finished. Loved it. And the French food at our book club meeting wasn't too shabby either:) Fried brie... Yeah, it was a good night.
Coming up: The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom
I'm excited about it. And, yes, one of the reasons I'm excited is that it is SHORT.
Saturday I got to go on a date with my husband! A WONDERFUL couple we know kept our children so David and I could go out to dinner. We went to Ceviche which was a lot of fun. I highly recommend the chorizo with potatoes and onions in brandy sauce. OH my was it good. That and the white chocolate creme brulee in a dark chocolate shell. I didn't mind that either. There is a picture of me enjoying it somewhere...
This week I am working on a project that I am really excited about. I am framing four of my flowers for a baby's nursery. I think it is going to be pretty stinkin cute! I'll let you be the judge when I am done.
Alright, I am going to get a few more things done. I can't get behind this week!!
Love to all,
Erin
Oh, and the pictures are from our day at Nature's classroom. I guess I need to get a good picture of Morgan next time!














Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Wednesday(Yep. That is about as exciting as this post gets.)

Appt. #1 is over, appt. #2 will be GLARING at me from the calendar for a whole month. I get to have the dreaded colonoscopy. At least I feel like I am in good hands.

On another note, am I the only one who wants to throw the GPS navigator out the window? That thing tries to get me lost at least every other time I use it. It tried to make me turn down a street that didn't exist today. I was LUCKY to get to my Dr.s appt. on time!

I'm afraid this lame attempt at a post will have to be it for the day.
Things to do. Places to be.
Love to all- especially any of you who have been to a GI.
Erin

Monday, April 19, 2010

Monday morning

I'm having the "end of vacation" blues. Spring break is over and it is back to normal life. It is all a mental thing for me... We didn't do anything over spring break that I can't do with the two little ones during a regular week. And, it is really EASIER to have just two to take care of rather than four. But still, I feel the way I always have when school starts- melancholy. I miss David more this morning too and he wasn't even home last week! It doesn't help that I have a doctor appointment looming this Wednesday. I don't want to get into over-share territory, but I have been having some digestive issues that need to be addressed. I've been through this before in my early twenties and it isn't fun. I will go through the unpleasant tests though to get some answers. The likelihood is that it is not a life threatening problem- just irritating and mildly uncomfortable; but there is always the possibility that it is something really bad and my mind is REALLY good at coming up with those worst case scenarios! Peace of mind... will I ever really own it?
The good news for the week is twofold:
1) We really did have a good spring break. One of my April resolutions is to have more fun with my kids and I made good on that last week. Sean didn't even find a whole lot to complain about. I kept him too busy!
2) I have a name for my business: Twiddly Bits. I am moving closer toward my goal!

Now to push past the mean reds and get something done TODAY...

Thursday, April 15, 2010

108 pages down, 266 to go

"But, the comfort was, that all the company at the grand hotel of Monseigneur were perfectly dressed. If the Day of Judgement had only been ascertained to be a dress day, everybody there would have been eternally correct. Such frizzling and powdering and sticking up of hair, such delicate complexions artificially preserved and mended, such gallant swords to look at, and such delicate honour to the sense of smell, would surely keep anything going, for ever and ever. The exquisite gentleman of the finest breeding wore little pendent trinkets that chinked as they languidly moved; these golden fetters rang like precious little bells; and what with that ringing, and with the rustle of silk and brocade and fine linen, there was a flutter in the air that fanned Saint Antoine and his devouring hunger far away."
Charles Dickens- A Tale of Two Cities

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Mummies and Fire

The creative process is very messy...
Today I let the kids make mummies and coffins for their mummies out of various objects: shoe-boxes, paper, markers, tape, small action figures, toilet paper, coins, etc., etc. I thought about taking a picture of the obscene mess that they made, but they were all wearing their skivvies and I didn't think it would be appropriate to post such a picture- hilarious as it was. Of course Lilly did not make a mummy. She made some sort of treasure box. And the baby just colored his lips blue with a marker. Good times.
The boys then went on to fashion a homemade OVEN outside. I really should take a picture of it tomorrow. I'm not sure what they were planning to cook... perhaps the locust that Sean took a nibble of this afternoon? (He said it was disgusting). Sean came to me wanting to know how to light a fire in it. Apparently they had already tried at least one method but it did not produce any flames for them. I guess they have watched too many shows about surviving in the wilderness. Idiot that I am, I gave them some alternate ideas- banking on the fact that they wouldn't be able to implement said ideas properly. My gamble paid off. Still no flames. In desperation Morgan tried to sneak some matches outside but I caught him. They eventually tired of this venture and came inside to take showers. The yard was thoroughly trashed.

The clean-up is worth it though. At least they aren't sitting inside in front of some sort of screen all day!
And with that, I'm out. Goodnight all:)

Friday, April 9, 2010

Goals and Gobble-uns



April's goals:

Since I was working on 4 chapters in March (to catch up to the rest of the ladies), I am a little behind posting my April goals. I have had them in my head for a while though...
April is all about increasing happiness in your parenting.
Here is what I plan to work on-

1) Do unto my children as I would have them do unto me
2)Engage with my children more: play, listen, cuddle

Speaking of parenting: Are you familiar with James Whitcomb Riley? He wrote poetry back in the late 1800's. My dad gave me a book of his poetry when I was a kid. I honestly didn't like much of it, but there are a few that I LOVE. My absolute favorite is one called: Little Orphant Annie. It is using that age old parenting technique of SCARING YOUR KIDS TO DEATH to make them obey.

LITTLE Orphant Annie's come to our house to stay,
An' wash the cups an' saucers up, an' bresh the crumbs away,
An' shoo the chickens off the porch, an' dust the hearth, an' sweep,
An' make the fire, an' bake the bread, an' earn her board-an'-keep;
An' all us other childern, when the supper-things is done,
We set around the kitchen fire an'has the mostest fun,
A-list'nin' to the withch-tales 'at Annie tells about,
An' the Gobble-uns 'at gits you
Ef you
Don't
Watch
Out!

Onc't they was a little boy wouldn't say his prayers,
So when he went to bed at night, away up stairs,
His Mammy heerd him holler, an' his Daddy heerd him bawl,
An' when they turn't the kivvers down, he wasn't there at all!
An' they seeked him in the rafter-room, an' cubby-hole, an' press,
An' seeked him up the chimbly-flue, an' ever'wheres, I guess;
But all they ever found was thist his pants an' round about:-
An' the Gobble-uns'll git you
Ef you
Don't
Watch
Out!

An' one time a little girl 'ud allus laugh an' grin,
An' make fun of ever'one, an' all her blood an' kin:
An' onc't, when they was "company," an' ole folks was there,
She mocked 'em an' shocked 'em, an' said she didn't care!
An' thist as she kicked her heels, an' turn't to run an' hide,
They was two great big Black Things a-standin' by her side,
An' they snatched her through the ceilin' 'fore she knowed what she's about!
An' the Gobble- uns'll git you
Ef you
Don't
Watch
Out!

An' little Orphant Annie says when the blaze is blue,
An' the lamp-wick sputters, an' the wind goes woo-oo!
An' you hear the chickens quit, an' the moon is gray,
An' the lightnin'- bugs in dew is all squenched away, -
You better mind yer parunts an' yer teachers fond an' dear,
An' churish them 'at loves you, an'dry the orphant's tear,
An' he'p the pore an' needy ones 'at clusters all about,
Er the Gobble- uns'll git you
Ef you
Don't
Watch
Out!

No wonder I am so messed up! It's a great poem though!

Thursday, April 8, 2010

HEADACHE!

Ugh. Milk. It tastes so good going down, but the headache that follows is AWFUL. I just want to roll up into a ball and cry.

It's just one of those days...

It's the kind of day when you think, "No. Wait! I can't be a mom TODAY! Can't I take a sick day?"
I do have some things to be thankful for on a day like today though:
* I have a husband who doesn't care that I will get next to
nothing done.
* I have kids that are pretty easy going.
* I can stay in my p.j.s all day if I want to.
* I have a comfortable couch to lay around on.
* I have an endless supply of kisses and hugs.
And I'm sure I could come up with a lot more, but it is really hard to focus through the STABBING PAIN!

Time to go make a strong cup of tea.

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Mr. Lorry encounters the "strong woman"

I am not reading A Tale of Two Cities at a very good pace. I can't concentrate on it during the day while the little ones are running about and I am so tired at night that I will inevitably fall asleep if I try to read then. Tonight I left my husband in charge early in the evening and went upstairs to read in a nice, warm bubble bath. Yep. I fell asleep. Luckily the book did not end up in the water. I have now read a grand total of: 52 pages.
Here is one of my favorite funny passages so far. It makes me happy:

( Mr. Lorry (of Tellson's Bank) has just given a poor young woman the news that, apparently, her father is not dead, but alive and just recently released from prison. The young woman has gone into shock.)

"A wild-looking woman, whom even in his agitation, Mr. Lorry observed to be all of a red colour, and to have red hair, and to be dressed in some extraordinary tight-fitting fashion, and to have on her head a most wonderful bonnet like a Grenadier wooden measure, and good measure too, or a great Stilton cheese, came running into the room in advance of the inn servants, and soon settled the question of his detachment from the poor young lady, by laying a brawny hand upon his chest, and sending him flying back against the nearest wall.
("I really think this must be a man!" was Mr. Lorry's breathless reflection, simultaneously with his coming against the wall.)
"Why, look at you all!" bawled this figure, addressing the inn servants. "Why don't you go and fetch things, instead of standing there staring at me? I am not so much to look at, am I? Why don't you go and fetch things? I'll let you know, if you don't bring smelling- salts, cold water, and vinegar, quick, I will."
There was an immediate dispersal for these restoratives, and she softly laid the patient on a sofa, and tended her with great skill and gentleness: calling her "my precious!" and "my bird!" and spreading her golden hair aside over her shoulders with great pride and care.
"And you in brown!" she said, indignantly turning to Mr. Lorry; "couldn't you tell her what you had to tell her, without frightening her to death? Look at her, with her pretty pale face and her cold hands. Do you call that being a banker?"
Mr. Lorry was so exceedingly disconcerted by a question so hard to answer, that he could only look on, at a distance, with much feebler sympathy and humility, while the strong woman, having banished the inn servants under the mysterious penalty of "letting them know" something not mentioned if they stayed there, staring, recovered her charge by a regular series of gradations, and coaxed her to lay her drooping head upon her shoulder.
"I hope she will do well now," said Mr. Lorry.
"No thanks to you in brown, if she does. My darling pretty!"
"I hope," said Mr. Lorry, after another long pause of feeble sympathy and humility, "that you accompany Miss Manette to France?"
"A likely thing, too!" replied the strong woman. "If it was ever intended that I should go across salt water, do you suppose Providence would have cast my lot in an island?"
This being another question hard to answer, Mr. Jarvis Lorry withdrew to consider it."

THAT is good stuff.

Friday, April 2, 2010

The Evolution of Erin in the Morning




Happiness is: Before and After Pictures

Thursday, April 1, 2010

STIIIIL working on my assignment:


Section number 4 has me confounded:

Take Time for Projects

Not really Biblical so much.

The author is talking about getting involved with her kids in the inevitable "projects" of childhood that adults usually try to shy away from: making macaroni necklaces, homemade bird-feeders, hand-made presents for grandma, etc. I don't think I ever really grew out of that phase myself. I still love doing stuff like that, so I probably would have skipped over this part if it weren't for this assignment... A Bible verse to go along with this topic. Really?

I think the main point is that we should be trying to connect with our kids. It is good for them and for us. I am going to focus on the good it does for the adults to enter "kid world" because I have an idea about how I can tie a Biblical concept in here...
I think it is good for us, as adults, to take the time and see things through the eyes of our children. They often see beauty or fun where we would not. For instance: One day someone brought up gardens and my daughter exclaimed, "Oh! We have a garden with BEAUTIFUL flowers in it!." I would never, in a million years describe our pitiful yard in such glowing terms. There are no, I repeat, NO planted flowers of any kind in our yard. There are an awful lot of weeds that look slightly flower-like. Those are what she was referring to. She is always picking them and bringing them to me to put in vases around the house. The boys did the same thing when they were younger. Pre-children I would have put much more value on expensive flowers from a store. But now I see the things in my own front yard in a different light. Lowly weeds can be beautiful too. I probably wouldn't have noticed them without my kids though. Or, if I had, I would have seen them in a bad light. I would want to get rid of them, not bring them inside for decorations. It is a simpler, more laid-back view of the world and I like it.
As far as finding a verse to go along with those thoughts... Here is my pick, take it or leave it:
"Jesus...said to them, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God. Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it," And He took them up in His arms, laid His hands on them, and blessed them."
-Mark 10:14-16
Now, I understand that He is talking about purity of heart here. But, I think that theme ties into my post. Connecting with our children teaches us something about what we should be like before God. He wants that same wide eyed innocence and trust from us. He wants us to be honest, tenderhearted, receptive to love, joyful, etc. ...qualities that become more difficult to hold on to as adults. We often see ourselves as the primary teachers, but it appears there is a lot we should be learning from the children in our lives.
I am VERY eager to see what other people found!
Any ideas from you guys?