Spit Wad

Our eight year old (that would be Agent E) asked me what a spit wad is.  Counting my blessings and hiding all the straws.

Project Life - Week 5

The assignment for week five was "routine".  

Shortcake would have a bath every.single.day if she could.  As it is, she almost does.  So we draw a bath with some of the bubbles she got for Christmas (California Baby) and she plays with a few toys or just feels the water run over her toes as the tub fills.

Then it's time to get wrapped up in a towel and hold her warm, wet little body close as we make our way to her room (oh my she's getting tall).  On the way out of the bathroom we avoid the random water splotches on the bathroom floor so I don't get stuck with a wet spot on my sock (because I'm probably on my last clean pair).

Her favorite monkey PJs are folded and waiting in her drawer (on a good day).  Then we go back to the bathroom where she pulls out the blowdryer and waits for me to plug it in.  She holds the dryer and passes me a comb.  She pretty much keeps the dryer in one place giving her a semi-permanent lift to that part of her hair until her next bath.

Clean, dry, happy, and content she bounces from the bathroom on to her next adventure.

Routine.

Agent E's knee patch

It seems Agent E is always out of pants to wear. He's hard to find jeans for (they always seem to be too tight or too big) and the ones he has get the knees worn out pretty quick. I wanted to get one pair patched up special for him so we talked ideas and came up with the bomb from the Mario Bros. game. Felt plus embroidery thread brought about what you see here. It's already made it through half a dozen washings so I'm hoping it will last the rest of the winter for him. Agent H has requested a Minecraft block for his jeans and Agent L hasn't decided what yet but is sure he wants one too.

Agent E is all rosy cheeked and smiley because he had just come in from sledding out at Grandpa's house. We've been spending time out there getting it ready to go on the market. I find myself praying for the future homeowners in hopes it will soften the pain of loosing such a beautiful childhood home.

 

Project Life 2014 - Week 4

Last week's photo challenge was "window lighting".  I turned the camera to M (manual) . . . scary!  I tried lots of different shots and decided the kids just move too fast for me to get a shot that isn't blurry.  This is Agent L's lovable Philbin and Shortcake's very loved Lambie.

Here are a few of my other attempts just for memory's sake.

Little Miss Shortcake showing off the banana patch that I attached to her monkey pjs.

Bunk Bed News

Big news in the world of Agent L and Shortcake. They now share a room! The transition has included many night time giggles but overall has gone smoothly. Agent L is very proud to now be on the top bunk and Shortcake has that huge full size all to herself! Thanks Dad for passing the bunks on to us.















































Agent L is learning that it's a little tricky learning to make your bed on the top bunk and Shortcake has found that she can reach the cd player now and likes to stand there and listen to the music (currently playing is Bear Tune for Kids, adorable woodsy music).

Happy birthday Mom

SOMETHING for Thee! Lord, let this be
   Thy choice for me from day to day;
The life I live it is not mine,
Thy will, my will, have made it Thine!
   Oh, let me do in Thine own way
          Something for Thee!
-Elizabeth Prentiss
(January 26 from Joy & Strength by Mary Wilder Tileston)

Project Life 2014 - Week 3

Here's my book stack again. I thought I'd use it for the week 3 challenge "Learning".

Between you, me, and the cinnamon tree

Tonight Agent H was helping me clean up dinner when he gave a little chuckle over an old memory. He told me a story that happened a few years back when my mom was visiting or maybe babysitting. He had just completed his chore of emptying all the dishes from the dishwasher and Grandma asked him to do the silverware as well. He responded with "I don't usually do that part" and Grandma smiled at him and said "well you go ahead and do it, and it will be between you, me, and the cinnamon tree." And of course he did it and he chuckled as he did.

Shortcake and my mom

Last week we celebrated a birthday for Shortcake.  Three years old!  I'll post pictures of the tea party her brothers and I had for her and her party with our families soon.  For the moment I just want to post this picture.  Her birthday is especially hard for me.  My mom only got to celebrate one birthday with Shortcake.  So I tuck her into bed at night with the pink afghan my mom made for her and remember to her the woman she barely knew, and I try not to let the tears flow during worship at church but there's something beautiful and raw and healing about tears in worship.  I miss you mom.

Project Life 2014 - Week 2

It was either the effort we spent trying to get up those hills or the cold winter air that added a blush to our cheeks.  The warmth of friendship.

Agent L, A Man

Today I overheard Agent E (7 yrs) and Agent L (5 yrs) discussing something-or-other when Agent L finished off the conversation with his very sincere bravo ". . . don’t do that because I’m a man!”.

2014 Aspirations

There are so many great things to learn.  I find myself not doing any of them because I don't know where to start.  In the past I have posted a list of my aspirations for the year here and I found it very helpful and so this year I'll do it again.

To Read:
Joy & Strength by Mary Wilder Tileston (I love, love this little daily devotional)

DONE Mary Slessor from the Heroes of the Faith series (something I found on my mom's bookshelf)

The Sojourner by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings

The Tutor's First Love by George MacDonald (my mom loved this author so this is another from her bookshelf)

Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis

Giving them Grace by Elyse M. Fitzpatrick & Jessica Thompson (It's been on my shelf for a year and I've heard such good things about this book, time to actually read it!)

Boundries with Kids by Dr. Henry Cloud, Dr. Henry Townsend

Healing Lyme by Stephen Harrod Buhner (because Agent H was diagnosed and treated this last summer and my mom's late diagnosis left her in lots of pain)

The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman (EH and I will be reading this with our church small group)

Her Daughter's Dream by Francine Rivers

The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy by Worwood

Mommy Diagnostics by Shanda Parker

DONE The Unwired Mom (an ebook by Sarah Mea)

A Simple Marriage (an ebook) by Corey Allan

There will undoubtably be lots of others that I pick up along the way I just hope to complete this list.  This post by Money Saving Mom really has some nice ideas for finding time to read.

To Learn:
How to give a full body massage with masseuse friend
Look more into this massage certificate program (can I do the hands-on portion locally) *Doing it!* How to make water kefirs
How to successfully make kambucha
More about essential herbs/oils - maybe grow some herbs (lavender?)
Try out the Azure method for making yeast free bread

To Do for family:
Take the kids out on quarterly individual dates (more if possible). *It hasn't exactly been quarterly but it has been more than the previous year!*
Monthly dates with EH *still not very good at this :(*
Scrapbook 4 months of Shortcake's baby album
Finish one other child's baby album

Health:
Buy new glasses - begin eye healing program this summer (The Janet Goodrich Method)
Strive to be stronger - exercise using the 42 Days to Fit program *Done for about 2 months*
Quarterly visits to the chiropractor (including EH!) *better than last year*

To Do:
Write love notes to each family member (in case I get called Home)
Meet with a financial advisor
Find a way to make monthly budget meetings between EH and I actually happen
Set up a new tracking system for our finances
Have 2014-15 school planning done before the school year starts

I'm reserving the right to add on to this list when the next great thought occurs. Like this one: Update the old photos in my blog with the new link so the pictures actually show up.

Project Life 2014 - Week 1

I joined a photography group for this new year.  I'm not the photographer around here but I do enjoy trying to "catch moments".  Since I was assured this was a very low-key group just having some fun and a lot of them are from our church, I thought I'd try it out.  Last week's theme was "New".

This is my NEW tea pot.  My in-laws spoiled me with this beauty.  (Thank you!)  Here's a crunchy tid-bit: it's ceramic and won't leach any metal into our water as it comes to a boil.  So far my husband loves it because it doesn't shreak-whistle like our old pot did.  The temperature outside right now is a steamy -15 with a windchill of -50, we're drinking lots of hot tea (Rooiboz these days) and honey water for the kids.