We had a very good day today! I woke at 5:45 a.m. but didn't go running as I had originally planned, since I needed to be ready to leave the house by 8 a.m. I decided to go ahead and shower and enjoy my quiet time...the boys have been waking at 6:00 or 6:30 this week, so I never know when my "quiet" time will end! I can't wait for Daylight Savings to begin! It's so bright in the mornings, and I'm sure that is contributing to the early wake times.
Today, however, all 3 kids slept until I woke them at 7:45! We piled into the van and headed to base. The kids munched dry Honeycomb cereal and had fruit snacks for their vitamin C. I dropped them off at the youth center with my friend Dana, and they had a grand time running around in the gym while I had my doctor's appointment. All went well, considering it was a pelvic exam, and then we headed across town to the library.
We had enough time to leisurely browse for books and a couple of DVDs (including Potty Time--I've gotta get going on this with Arden!) Then we got to go to Story Time for the first time in probably a month. The kids love the family story time with the "Shake It Man," so named because of one of the songs he always does with the kids. The guy who runs this particular story hour is so hilarious, and obviously very popular. There have got to be at least 50-60 kids in there every time we go, not to mention all the parents.
When story time was over, we drove across the street to Sonic. I had thought we could eat outside, and the kids begged to do a picnic. They had all brought their blankets with them, probably because we left so soon after I woke them up this morning, so we spread out all the blankies on the grassy area in the middle of the drive-up slots and had ourselves a grand old picnic, complete with corn dogs, french fries, and lemonade for the kids and a burger and onion rings for me. They ran around in the grassy area, jumping off one of three big rocks in the middle, and generally being silly and having fun.
After lunch we made a quick trip to Sam's Club for diapers. I had been buying diapers at the commissary, but I recently realized that I can actually get them cheaper at Sam's Club. Woohoo! Hopefully we won't need them for TOO much longer. Arden is almost 2 1/2 years old now, and it's time to start training him in earnest now that warmer weather is upon us.
By the time we got home the children were begging for more food, saying they were SO hungry. Apparently the corn dogs and fries had not been enough. I told them if they were really that hungry they could eat carrot sticks and dip, and they all did! I guess they really WERE that hungry! I read our Sonlight stories to them while they munched, and that was our only "school time" for today. Arden pretty much went straight to sleep, but Tobin never did take a nap.
Still, it was a fairly quiet afternoon for me, as I caught up on some emails and phone calls and blogged a bit. Yesterday afternoon I got an hour and a half nap when all the kids slept, so I guess I shouldn't be too disappointed that Tobin didn't nap today.
After dinner Ted and I had some "couch time" while Arden and Charis played Uno and Tobin colored. Then I headed out for a run...I'm finally getting back into the exercise routine after taking a longer break than I wanted to while Ted was gone. I went 2 miles and came home in time to tuck the kids in bed after Ted was finished with their bath time. They're in bed earlier than usual tonight, but we had a big day, and Arden was the only one who napped. It's quiet now, so hopefully that means Ted and I can enjoy a relaxing evening together!
March 30, 2006
Funny Kids
Arden's speech is amazing. For having been in Tobin the Talker's shadow for the past 2 1/2 years, Arden is finally getting some time in the conversation spotlight. He talks constantly--guess he learned it from his brother, and he figured Tobin was bound to have to take a breath now and then!
I need to start writing down some of the things he's been saying, but there was one sentence that made me laugh a couple of days ago. I don't know exactly what happened that tickled Arden so, but after bursting into a fit of giggles, he gasped, "That was siwwy (silly) because it was so funny!" I've noticed he says "because" a lot, and not necessarily in the right context. He strings together a lot of observations, and everything is "because" of the previous topic of discussion. For example: "Today we went to the libwawy because then we went to Sonic because we saw Gracie this morning..." and so on.
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Charis is still on her ice skating kick, although she now says she wants to be a ballerina, too. I took this picture of her probably a couple of weeks ago. Since we don't have anything "normal" that could pass as an ice skating outfit, she created her own. The t-shirt was from the hospital when she was born; it says, "I got my first hug at Mountain Home AFB Family Care Unit." I'm amazed she got it over her head. The ruffle is from a doll princess dress-up set, and the tights are probably 2 years old. I don't think the picture shows it, but she also has socks on over her tights. I thought the outfit was rather creative, and you can see from her smile that she obviously is rather proud of herself too!
I need to start writing down some of the things he's been saying, but there was one sentence that made me laugh a couple of days ago. I don't know exactly what happened that tickled Arden so, but after bursting into a fit of giggles, he gasped, "That was siwwy (silly) because it was so funny!" I've noticed he says "because" a lot, and not necessarily in the right context. He strings together a lot of observations, and everything is "because" of the previous topic of discussion. For example: "Today we went to the libwawy because then we went to Sonic because we saw Gracie this morning..." and so on.
**********
Charis is still on her ice skating kick, although she now says she wants to be a ballerina, too. I took this picture of her probably a couple of weeks ago. Since we don't have anything "normal" that could pass as an ice skating outfit, she created her own. The t-shirt was from the hospital when she was born; it says, "I got my first hug at Mountain Home AFB Family Care Unit." I'm amazed she got it over her head. The ruffle is from a doll princess dress-up set, and the tights are probably 2 years old. I don't think the picture shows it, but she also has socks on over her tights. I thought the outfit was rather creative, and you can see from her smile that she obviously is rather proud of herself too!
Procrastinating
I should be working on a writing project, the Bible study for a youth camp Ted and I have been involved with since the summer of 2000. However, I seem to be stuck, so I thought I'd pop over to my blog and update it a bit. It's so much easier to write in here! I've been having a lot of fun working on this study. It's the 6th one I've done for the camp. Our past themes have been:
* The Few, the Proud, the Faithful (a military analogy)
* Welcome to the Island (fruit of the Spirit)
* The Quest for Holiness (medieval theme)
* Carry the Torch (Olympic theme)
* The Hall of Faith (character studies based on Hebrews 11)
And, this year, I've Got the Power (superhero theme). I love writing these studies; they challenge me spiritually, and it's a way I can use my talents to honor the Lord and hopefully draw others closer to Him. Still, it's a struggle. I can tell when a spiritual attack is going to come...the moment I schedule my writing times into my planner and begin working seriously on the study! I got a good chunk done while Ted was TDY, and you might know we had some serious issues that week, mostly involving children and attitudes (theirs and mine!).
Due to family and business events, this writing project has taken a bit of a back seat the past week. Now I'm ready to pick back up again, but I'm stuck with writer's block. I guess it's a lesson learned to keep writing, a little at a time, so that the fires don't die down.
* The Few, the Proud, the Faithful (a military analogy)
* Welcome to the Island (fruit of the Spirit)
* The Quest for Holiness (medieval theme)
* Carry the Torch (Olympic theme)
* The Hall of Faith (character studies based on Hebrews 11)
And, this year, I've Got the Power (superhero theme). I love writing these studies; they challenge me spiritually, and it's a way I can use my talents to honor the Lord and hopefully draw others closer to Him. Still, it's a struggle. I can tell when a spiritual attack is going to come...the moment I schedule my writing times into my planner and begin working seriously on the study! I got a good chunk done while Ted was TDY, and you might know we had some serious issues that week, mostly involving children and attitudes (theirs and mine!).
Due to family and business events, this writing project has taken a bit of a back seat the past week. Now I'm ready to pick back up again, but I'm stuck with writer's block. I guess it's a lesson learned to keep writing, a little at a time, so that the fires don't die down.
March 24, 2006
Two Things That Make Me Laugh
I thought I'd share a couple of funny things since I only have a few moments to post something. What better way to start the day than by laughing!
1. I have an "Anguished English" daily calendar that Ted and the kids gave me for my birthday. Here's what it said for Monday, a "lost in translation" kind of thing:
A CHINESE ROAD SIGN:
Go soothingly on the greasy road, for therein lurks the skid demon.
I giggle every time I read this!
2. Ted's mom always finds the greatest cards. (No, they aren't hand-stamped, but we always love the puns!) Ted's 30th birthday card arrived yesterday. It has a picture of a rather fat baby on the front, wearing only a diaper, hunched over and concentrating with his face all scrunched up. The inside of the card says, "Looks like someone is pushing turdy!" LOVE IT!!
Arden likes the card, too. He calls it his funny baby. :-)
1. I have an "Anguished English" daily calendar that Ted and the kids gave me for my birthday. Here's what it said for Monday, a "lost in translation" kind of thing:
A CHINESE ROAD SIGN:
Go soothingly on the greasy road, for therein lurks the skid demon.
I giggle every time I read this!
2. Ted's mom always finds the greatest cards. (No, they aren't hand-stamped, but we always love the puns!) Ted's 30th birthday card arrived yesterday. It has a picture of a rather fat baby on the front, wearing only a diaper, hunched over and concentrating with his face all scrunched up. The inside of the card says, "Looks like someone is pushing turdy!" LOVE IT!!
Arden likes the card, too. He calls it his funny baby. :-)
March 22, 2006
Another One of Those Days...
Whew. What a day! And it happens to be Ted's birthday. Sigh. His 30th birthday, even. It's a good thing we went to The Melting Pot last Friday night for an early birthday date, because today isn't looking so great for a fabulous birthday celebration.
It began at 6:15 this morning when Charis threw up on the upstairs carpet. I guess I should have seen this coming. She had come downstairs about 10 minutes earlier saying her tummy hurt, and her face looked deathly pale. She decided after attempting to eat some Cheerios (thinking she was hungry, though I didn't figure she'd eat anything) that she wanted to go back to bed because she was tired. I was about to follow her upstairs with a dish but obviously was too late. So I cleaned the carpet instead. Yuck! Ted gave her a tiny bit of pepto to try to settle her stomach, since she was still crying that it hurt. I sure know that feeling!
She threw up again a little later (thankfully in the bowl this time), then had a diarrhea accident in her pants. Double yuck.
Arden was also up early, so I was trying to keep things quiet. I learned an important lesson at 7:00 this morning: Don't open the freezer door when the can of Super Structs is perched precariously on top of the fridge.
Meanwhile, Tobin was sleeping in until 9:00, which is VERY rare. I worried that he was going to be next, but aside from complaining about a tummy ache (which could just be for attention), nothing seems to be wrong with him. He's certainly had a normal appetite and a normal Tobin attitude!! He didn't nap, which isn't too surprising considering how late he slept in. (He's normally up by 7:00.)
Charis rested in her room instead of doing school time--I feel like we have done so little school lately! I went ahead and had the boys do their individual play time and took advantage of the time to clean the downstairs thoroughly. It seemed the house had completely fallen apart over the last few days, and the floors were driving me nuts. I totally dusted EVERYTHING, even the tops of the bookshelves! Cleaned the bathroom. De-cluttered each room. Swept. Mopped. Continued with the linen laundry. Yay! At least some good came of Charis' sick day! The downstairs is CLEAN!!!
Arden and Charis both napped, even though Tobin didn't. I should have thought to check in on Charis. I know what a sound sleeper she is, but it didn't even occur to me that she'd have an accident during a nap. I guess it just goes to show how out of it she was--she woke up with wet pants and a wet bed. Another load of laundry!
Sometime in the afternoon it occurred to me that TODAY was Ted's birthday. I knew this; I had wished him a happy birthday this morning. But I got totally caught up in kid and house stuff that I neglected to carry out any fun plans with the kids to get ready for Daddy's home coming. Fortunately, Tobin seemed agreeable to the idea of making Daddy a card, so he worked on that awhile during his non-nap.
After Charis' bed got stripped, she asked to lie down on my bed. I could tell she had a fever, so I gave her some children's ibuprofen. She was also complaining of a headache. Once the meds kicked in, though, she asked for crayons, scissors, glue, and paper so she could make a card for Daddy, too. She happily worked in my room and proudly brought down her creation for me to see--a princess card, surprise, surprise! Every birthday card she has made since her own princess party has had to have a princess on it! She has gotten quite good at drawing princesses now, and it's cute to see her rendition of the cartoon character that's on the stamp in my Pretty Princess stamp set. I'm sure Daddy will love his princess card from his little girl!
We whipped together a pineapple cake, which just came out of the oven. The recipe sounds delicious--I hope so, because this is the first time I've made it! There's a cream cheese frosting that goes on top, so we're going to do the frosting soon. Charis seems to be feeling much better, though I don't think she'll eat much this evening.
I had dinner set for 5:30 but discovered that the potatoes I was planning to use as part of our spread were growing green fuzzies. I called Ted to see if he could swing by the store and pick up some French bread or something to go with our honey-lemon chicken and artichokes. He hadn't even left the base yet! So...I turned off the steamer and decided that we're just going to have to enjoy dinner in whatever condition it is in when he arrives home. Thankfully the chicken is in the crock pot, and I'm hoping there's no real way to ruin it, though I'm a tad bit concerned because it was too big for the lid to fit on, so I had to cover it with foil. It's been dripping all day, and I keep mopping up juices and wondering if there's any left in the chicken itself. However, it does smell good, and I may just turn off the pot and see how it looks. That way if I need to salvage any more of our meal I can hopefully have time before Ted gets home!
So, with that, I'll close here and see what I can do to get a decent-looking dinner on the table by the time he arrives! It's a good thing I called the church to tell them I wouldn't make it to AWANA this evening!
It began at 6:15 this morning when Charis threw up on the upstairs carpet. I guess I should have seen this coming. She had come downstairs about 10 minutes earlier saying her tummy hurt, and her face looked deathly pale. She decided after attempting to eat some Cheerios (thinking she was hungry, though I didn't figure she'd eat anything) that she wanted to go back to bed because she was tired. I was about to follow her upstairs with a dish but obviously was too late. So I cleaned the carpet instead. Yuck! Ted gave her a tiny bit of pepto to try to settle her stomach, since she was still crying that it hurt. I sure know that feeling!
She threw up again a little later (thankfully in the bowl this time), then had a diarrhea accident in her pants. Double yuck.
Arden was also up early, so I was trying to keep things quiet. I learned an important lesson at 7:00 this morning: Don't open the freezer door when the can of Super Structs is perched precariously on top of the fridge.
Meanwhile, Tobin was sleeping in until 9:00, which is VERY rare. I worried that he was going to be next, but aside from complaining about a tummy ache (which could just be for attention), nothing seems to be wrong with him. He's certainly had a normal appetite and a normal Tobin attitude!! He didn't nap, which isn't too surprising considering how late he slept in. (He's normally up by 7:00.)
Charis rested in her room instead of doing school time--I feel like we have done so little school lately! I went ahead and had the boys do their individual play time and took advantage of the time to clean the downstairs thoroughly. It seemed the house had completely fallen apart over the last few days, and the floors were driving me nuts. I totally dusted EVERYTHING, even the tops of the bookshelves! Cleaned the bathroom. De-cluttered each room. Swept. Mopped. Continued with the linen laundry. Yay! At least some good came of Charis' sick day! The downstairs is CLEAN!!!
Arden and Charis both napped, even though Tobin didn't. I should have thought to check in on Charis. I know what a sound sleeper she is, but it didn't even occur to me that she'd have an accident during a nap. I guess it just goes to show how out of it she was--she woke up with wet pants and a wet bed. Another load of laundry!
Sometime in the afternoon it occurred to me that TODAY was Ted's birthday. I knew this; I had wished him a happy birthday this morning. But I got totally caught up in kid and house stuff that I neglected to carry out any fun plans with the kids to get ready for Daddy's home coming. Fortunately, Tobin seemed agreeable to the idea of making Daddy a card, so he worked on that awhile during his non-nap.
After Charis' bed got stripped, she asked to lie down on my bed. I could tell she had a fever, so I gave her some children's ibuprofen. She was also complaining of a headache. Once the meds kicked in, though, she asked for crayons, scissors, glue, and paper so she could make a card for Daddy, too. She happily worked in my room and proudly brought down her creation for me to see--a princess card, surprise, surprise! Every birthday card she has made since her own princess party has had to have a princess on it! She has gotten quite good at drawing princesses now, and it's cute to see her rendition of the cartoon character that's on the stamp in my Pretty Princess stamp set. I'm sure Daddy will love his princess card from his little girl!
We whipped together a pineapple cake, which just came out of the oven. The recipe sounds delicious--I hope so, because this is the first time I've made it! There's a cream cheese frosting that goes on top, so we're going to do the frosting soon. Charis seems to be feeling much better, though I don't think she'll eat much this evening.
I had dinner set for 5:30 but discovered that the potatoes I was planning to use as part of our spread were growing green fuzzies. I called Ted to see if he could swing by the store and pick up some French bread or something to go with our honey-lemon chicken and artichokes. He hadn't even left the base yet! So...I turned off the steamer and decided that we're just going to have to enjoy dinner in whatever condition it is in when he arrives home. Thankfully the chicken is in the crock pot, and I'm hoping there's no real way to ruin it, though I'm a tad bit concerned because it was too big for the lid to fit on, so I had to cover it with foil. It's been dripping all day, and I keep mopping up juices and wondering if there's any left in the chicken itself. However, it does smell good, and I may just turn off the pot and see how it looks. That way if I need to salvage any more of our meal I can hopefully have time before Ted gets home!
So, with that, I'll close here and see what I can do to get a decent-looking dinner on the table by the time he arrives! It's a good thing I called the church to tell them I wouldn't make it to AWANA this evening!
March 21, 2006
Fun Day With New Deaf Friends!
Praise the Lord I am feeling SO much better today! I still couldn't eat much for breakfast this morning, but I had enough to recharge me and get me ready for a great day. Ted was so wonderful to watch the kids for me yesterday so I could get two naps, and then we went to bed at 9 p.m. I was able to finish packing my workshop basket and bag so I was all ready this morning except a few last-minute things.
We left the house around 8:30 a.m. to take the boys to my friend Sarah's house. Her husband took the day off work (thank you, Ken!) to watch the boys for us, and we took the girls with us, figuring they would be able to play and entertain themselves nicely without interrupting us much. We also decided it would be best to take them with us rather than having Ken watch all SIX children, as he is deaf. I know he's a great dad, but still, that's a lot of responsibility, and we weren't sure how long we'd be gone.
We drove downtown Vegas to the rec center where the meeting was to be held. The Silver Belles are a group of older deaf ladies that meet regularly on Tuesdays. Usually the group is about 30-35 women, but (thankfully) today there were only 10 people there, which was the perfect number. They knew I was coming, so those who attended were the ones who were really interested in stamping, and most had been to a show before. Sarah and I discussed later that we don't think they had actually been to a show with an interpreter before, because they all commented that they learned so much today, which made me feel great!
I used a few signs that I've learned, but I was so grateful for Sarah's willingness to come with me and help me out. She knows all or most of the women who were there, and I think she had a really fun time, too. The ladies were all so wonderful, so warm and welcoming, and they kept telling me to come back when it was over! We tentatively planned another workshop for April, though we still need to work out child care details. I hate to have Ken take more time off work, though Sarah assures me that he has been working a lot lately and was due some time off!
Anyway, the show was lots of fun. They loved all the projects I demo'ed and did a great job making their own gift sacks and cards to take home. The order total was great, and they decided to use the hostess dollars to get stamps and ink pads for the whole group to use. The group leader also ordered supplies for the Silver Belles as well as her own personal order, and I think they are all so excited to get together and use their stuff. They also plan to make cards to sell for fundraisers, which is a great idea, and I told them I'd love to help if we can coordinate a time when Ted can watch the kids.
One of the ladies is even interested in possibly being a demonstrator, which really excites me! She is one of the ones I felt I really connected with, and she has had enough experience that I think she would really do a great job. I told her we would definitely get together, and she could help me practice my sign language skills while I helped her with new ideas!
So, what a blessing! I prayed specifically this morning that God would pour out His blessings on this whole event--that Sarah and I (and even our girls) would bless the deaf ladies who came to stamp and that God's will would be done concerning the "business stuff." He took care of those details, providing good sales and future events. Mostly I just had a ton of fun, though, and I'm thankful that I could brighten some ladies' day and encourage their creativity.
Now I am all the more eager to keep learning sign language! I love it! I can understand quite a bit, a lot more than I can actually sign. I guess it's kind of like being a toddler again, understanding what grown-ups say but not having enough skills to communicate my point very clearly yet. I missed most of the last lesson since I got sick, and so I hope Sarah and I can get together soon so she can help me with the practice conversation that I saw Ted and Lyn doing while I sat on the sidelines deciding whether or not I should tell them we needed to go home! Ted is learning really fast, especially considering that he has only attended 1 1/2 lessons! I think his background in Russian helps him grasp the new language skills easily.
Well, we are now all home, and I put the kids in room time because I needed to deal with a behavior issue with one of them, and it's so quiet I thought I'd sneak onto the computer for a bit. I'm wondering if Arden fell asleep?! It was way past nap time when we finally got home! Tobin is building with Lincoln Logs in the play area, and I'm sure Charis is reading in her room. I'm realizing that it is now 4:00 p.m. and I haven't had lunch, so my tummy is actually rumbling for some food! To snack or not to snack, when dinner is just around the corner, that is the question...
Anyway. I'll blog more later--there's so much to write about! A big hug and hello to my pregnant friends who are reading this! I've been keeping up with your blogs and can't wait to hear all about when your babies arrive! And hello to all our dear friends and family who read and never leave comments. ;-) I don't know why I felt the need to start passing out greetings, but hey! I love you guys!
We left the house around 8:30 a.m. to take the boys to my friend Sarah's house. Her husband took the day off work (thank you, Ken!) to watch the boys for us, and we took the girls with us, figuring they would be able to play and entertain themselves nicely without interrupting us much. We also decided it would be best to take them with us rather than having Ken watch all SIX children, as he is deaf. I know he's a great dad, but still, that's a lot of responsibility, and we weren't sure how long we'd be gone.
We drove downtown Vegas to the rec center where the meeting was to be held. The Silver Belles are a group of older deaf ladies that meet regularly on Tuesdays. Usually the group is about 30-35 women, but (thankfully) today there were only 10 people there, which was the perfect number. They knew I was coming, so those who attended were the ones who were really interested in stamping, and most had been to a show before. Sarah and I discussed later that we don't think they had actually been to a show with an interpreter before, because they all commented that they learned so much today, which made me feel great!
I used a few signs that I've learned, but I was so grateful for Sarah's willingness to come with me and help me out. She knows all or most of the women who were there, and I think she had a really fun time, too. The ladies were all so wonderful, so warm and welcoming, and they kept telling me to come back when it was over! We tentatively planned another workshop for April, though we still need to work out child care details. I hate to have Ken take more time off work, though Sarah assures me that he has been working a lot lately and was due some time off!
Anyway, the show was lots of fun. They loved all the projects I demo'ed and did a great job making their own gift sacks and cards to take home. The order total was great, and they decided to use the hostess dollars to get stamps and ink pads for the whole group to use. The group leader also ordered supplies for the Silver Belles as well as her own personal order, and I think they are all so excited to get together and use their stuff. They also plan to make cards to sell for fundraisers, which is a great idea, and I told them I'd love to help if we can coordinate a time when Ted can watch the kids.
One of the ladies is even interested in possibly being a demonstrator, which really excites me! She is one of the ones I felt I really connected with, and she has had enough experience that I think she would really do a great job. I told her we would definitely get together, and she could help me practice my sign language skills while I helped her with new ideas!
So, what a blessing! I prayed specifically this morning that God would pour out His blessings on this whole event--that Sarah and I (and even our girls) would bless the deaf ladies who came to stamp and that God's will would be done concerning the "business stuff." He took care of those details, providing good sales and future events. Mostly I just had a ton of fun, though, and I'm thankful that I could brighten some ladies' day and encourage their creativity.
Now I am all the more eager to keep learning sign language! I love it! I can understand quite a bit, a lot more than I can actually sign. I guess it's kind of like being a toddler again, understanding what grown-ups say but not having enough skills to communicate my point very clearly yet. I missed most of the last lesson since I got sick, and so I hope Sarah and I can get together soon so she can help me with the practice conversation that I saw Ted and Lyn doing while I sat on the sidelines deciding whether or not I should tell them we needed to go home! Ted is learning really fast, especially considering that he has only attended 1 1/2 lessons! I think his background in Russian helps him grasp the new language skills easily.
Well, we are now all home, and I put the kids in room time because I needed to deal with a behavior issue with one of them, and it's so quiet I thought I'd sneak onto the computer for a bit. I'm wondering if Arden fell asleep?! It was way past nap time when we finally got home! Tobin is building with Lincoln Logs in the play area, and I'm sure Charis is reading in her room. I'm realizing that it is now 4:00 p.m. and I haven't had lunch, so my tummy is actually rumbling for some food! To snack or not to snack, when dinner is just around the corner, that is the question...
Anyway. I'll blog more later--there's so much to write about! A big hug and hello to my pregnant friends who are reading this! I've been keeping up with your blogs and can't wait to hear all about when your babies arrive! And hello to all our dear friends and family who read and never leave comments. ;-) I don't know why I felt the need to start passing out greetings, but hey! I love you guys!
March 20, 2006
Under the Weather...
Whew--yesterday is a day I do NOT want to repeat! It started out so nicely! I woke early and worked in my stamp room after having a very early quiet time. Church was good, and I stayed to help in the 11:45 service. I went straight from church to a baby shower, which was tons of fun as I got to visit with lots of ladies that I normally don't see without our kids running around us! After that I hurried home to join the rest of the family and our friend Lyn from down the street, who has started attending our sign language classes with us.
I ate a banana as we drove to class, because even though we had eaten lots of munchies at the shower, my stomach somehow felt strange. I thought maybe I was feeling a bit hungry from just eating munchies. By the time we got to our class (about a 20-minute drive), I wasn't so sure how I was feeling! I turned to Ted and Lyn and said, "My stomach feels weird! I don't know if it's something I ate at the shower or what!" But we went inside and started our class. About 15 minutes into the class I realized that I was not doing well at all. On the one hand, I didn't think I should stay at the class, but on the other hand, I didn't relish the thought of another 20 minutes in the van! We ended up leaving, taking a plastic bag inside a paper bag just in case.
Let's just say it's a good thing I had the bag!
The next few hours were pure misery, leaving me in a crumpled heap that could barely move! Ted put the kids to bed and went to the store to get me some pepto, and after I took some of that I was finally able to get to sleep. It was so frustrating to be so tired and yet not be allowed the luxury of going to sleep to escape the misery--every time I almost dropped off, my body woke me up to run to the potty!
I ran a fever during the night and part of this morning. My stomach issues are nearly resolved, thank the good Lord. I just feel like I've been hit by a truck. Whatever this was, it hit very hard and very fast, and thankfully it seems to be moving on. I hope to get my strength up soon, as I am doing a stamping event in the morning!
Ted was kind enough to take a day of leave to help with the kids, which is good because this morning I still felt so weak, I probably wouldn't have been able to do much beyond letting them run wild! I napped from about 10:30 to noon and ate some chicken soup and orange slices for lunch. I've kind of been lounging around this afternoon, debating about taking another nap. I don't want to be awake all night, so I think at this point I will just wait and try to go to bed early. Hopefully when morning comes I will be feeling myself again!
I ate a banana as we drove to class, because even though we had eaten lots of munchies at the shower, my stomach somehow felt strange. I thought maybe I was feeling a bit hungry from just eating munchies. By the time we got to our class (about a 20-minute drive), I wasn't so sure how I was feeling! I turned to Ted and Lyn and said, "My stomach feels weird! I don't know if it's something I ate at the shower or what!" But we went inside and started our class. About 15 minutes into the class I realized that I was not doing well at all. On the one hand, I didn't think I should stay at the class, but on the other hand, I didn't relish the thought of another 20 minutes in the van! We ended up leaving, taking a plastic bag inside a paper bag just in case.
Let's just say it's a good thing I had the bag!
The next few hours were pure misery, leaving me in a crumpled heap that could barely move! Ted put the kids to bed and went to the store to get me some pepto, and after I took some of that I was finally able to get to sleep. It was so frustrating to be so tired and yet not be allowed the luxury of going to sleep to escape the misery--every time I almost dropped off, my body woke me up to run to the potty!
I ran a fever during the night and part of this morning. My stomach issues are nearly resolved, thank the good Lord. I just feel like I've been hit by a truck. Whatever this was, it hit very hard and very fast, and thankfully it seems to be moving on. I hope to get my strength up soon, as I am doing a stamping event in the morning!
Ted was kind enough to take a day of leave to help with the kids, which is good because this morning I still felt so weak, I probably wouldn't have been able to do much beyond letting them run wild! I napped from about 10:30 to noon and ate some chicken soup and orange slices for lunch. I've kind of been lounging around this afternoon, debating about taking another nap. I don't want to be awake all night, so I think at this point I will just wait and try to go to bed early. Hopefully when morning comes I will be feeling myself again!
The Melting Pot
Friday night was a date night for Ted and me. We went to the Melting Pot, a fondue restaurant. It was our first time to go; several friends had highly recommended it. We enjoyed an amazing four-course dinner:
1. Swiss cheese & artichoke dip--complete with spinach and lots of garlic! We dipped apples, fresh veggies, and a variety of breads into this scrumptious concoction.
2. Salad--we both chose Caesar salads that were much bigger than I anticipated them being.
3. Main Course--I won't even try to type out what this fancy broth was, something like "coq au vin," and it had mushrooms and some type of wine in it. We cooked our own meat in the fondue pot, plopping bits of steak, chicken, and shrimp in the boiling broth. We also cooked potatoes, broccoli, and mushrooms, and there were a variety of sauces to go with each morsel. Very interesting. It was quite good, but the best was...
4. A mixture of white and dark chocolate fondue for dessert--complete with strawberries, pineapple, bananas, marshmallows, and yummy morsels of brownies and a slice of cheesecake! Oh, my! This was fantastic!
The entire dinner took about two hours. I have never been so full in my entire life, even on the cruises I've been on! Ted and I literally hurt for nearly an hour afterwards from being so full! I decided that if/when we ever go back, I would be perfectly happy with the appetizer and dessert. The main course was good, but not something I'd crave again. Still, it was a special occasion (we were celebrating Ted's birthday a bit early, though he didn't get his presents yet!), and we enjoyed our time together.
1. Swiss cheese & artichoke dip--complete with spinach and lots of garlic! We dipped apples, fresh veggies, and a variety of breads into this scrumptious concoction.
2. Salad--we both chose Caesar salads that were much bigger than I anticipated them being.
3. Main Course--I won't even try to type out what this fancy broth was, something like "coq au vin," and it had mushrooms and some type of wine in it. We cooked our own meat in the fondue pot, plopping bits of steak, chicken, and shrimp in the boiling broth. We also cooked potatoes, broccoli, and mushrooms, and there were a variety of sauces to go with each morsel. Very interesting. It was quite good, but the best was...
4. A mixture of white and dark chocolate fondue for dessert--complete with strawberries, pineapple, bananas, marshmallows, and yummy morsels of brownies and a slice of cheesecake! Oh, my! This was fantastic!
The entire dinner took about two hours. I have never been so full in my entire life, even on the cruises I've been on! Ted and I literally hurt for nearly an hour afterwards from being so full! I decided that if/when we ever go back, I would be perfectly happy with the appetizer and dessert. The main course was good, but not something I'd crave again. Still, it was a special occasion (we were celebrating Ted's birthday a bit early, though he didn't get his presents yet!), and we enjoyed our time together.
March 17, 2006
Our Responsibility, Our Joy
I've been corresponding with a new friend I met through my blog. In one of her emails to me, she wrote, "Being a mom is such a blessing, but with my beaver personality I am constantly evaluating and analyzing the ways that I am training [my son]. I want so badly for him to love and know the Lord that I feel like if I don't do everything just 'right' then he will never know Jesus as his Savior. I must remind myself to stay focused on the Lord and look to Him for wisdom and guidance."
Being a Beaver personality myself, I can empathize with these feelings. We put a lot of pressure on ourselves to do everything as perfectly as we can and hope and pray we don't somehow "warp" our children! Below is what I wrote back to her. I thought it sounded like a good blog entry. :-)
**********
I think Satan really guilt trips us into worrying about the whole good-mom-bad-mom thing. Ultimately, we have to trust that God will shepherd our children's hearts--we do what we can to teach them about Him and His Word, but we have to free ourselves of the responsibility that will ultimately be theirs...their own decision to accept and follow Christ. Being a parent is certainly a huge responsibility, to love and lead these little treasures that have been given to us. And it is scary to think they will develop their view of God based on what they learn in our homes. But it's also exciting!
That's one of the biggest reasons we have chosen to home school. I went to a Christian school my whole life, and I'm thankful for that opportunity. But I am so glad that I can personally direct my kids' education. I'm so glad that I'm the one there at the breakfast table, reading the Bible stories and reviewing their memory verses with them. We've had such great discussions at the breakfast table--everything from who Satan is to what temptation and sin are and how we can choose to follow Jesus instead. I love hearing my kids say random things like, "Mommy, I love God and always want to obey Him!" Comments like these come out of the blue later during our days, not necessarily when we are speaking of the topic!
This past year I have really laid claim to the words in Deuteronomy 6:4-7, "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up."
**********
When we embrace the life God has called us to, loving Him with all our "passion and prayer and muscle and intelligence" (from The Messsage translation), we will incorporate that love and passion into all we do. Our children can't help but notice, and they in turn will (most likely) embrace a faith in God that becomes their very own.
What a joy! What a privilege to be the ones to lead our little ones in the paths of righteousness!
Being a Beaver personality myself, I can empathize with these feelings. We put a lot of pressure on ourselves to do everything as perfectly as we can and hope and pray we don't somehow "warp" our children! Below is what I wrote back to her. I thought it sounded like a good blog entry. :-)
**********
I think Satan really guilt trips us into worrying about the whole good-mom-bad-mom thing. Ultimately, we have to trust that God will shepherd our children's hearts--we do what we can to teach them about Him and His Word, but we have to free ourselves of the responsibility that will ultimately be theirs...their own decision to accept and follow Christ. Being a parent is certainly a huge responsibility, to love and lead these little treasures that have been given to us. And it is scary to think they will develop their view of God based on what they learn in our homes. But it's also exciting!
That's one of the biggest reasons we have chosen to home school. I went to a Christian school my whole life, and I'm thankful for that opportunity. But I am so glad that I can personally direct my kids' education. I'm so glad that I'm the one there at the breakfast table, reading the Bible stories and reviewing their memory verses with them. We've had such great discussions at the breakfast table--everything from who Satan is to what temptation and sin are and how we can choose to follow Jesus instead. I love hearing my kids say random things like, "Mommy, I love God and always want to obey Him!" Comments like these come out of the blue later during our days, not necessarily when we are speaking of the topic!
This past year I have really laid claim to the words in Deuteronomy 6:4-7, "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up."
**********
When we embrace the life God has called us to, loving Him with all our "passion and prayer and muscle and intelligence" (from The Messsage translation), we will incorporate that love and passion into all we do. Our children can't help but notice, and they in turn will (most likely) embrace a faith in God that becomes their very own.
What a joy! What a privilege to be the ones to lead our little ones in the paths of righteousness!
March 15, 2006
A Lazy Morning
I've been up since 5:30 this morning, but I don't feel tired like I sometimes do when I get up and whiz through the morning activities. Charis was the first kiddo up today. Poor girl; she still feels under the weather. She didn't want any breakfast and instead curled up on the couch while the boys and I ate our cereal. Then I got our Sonlight books to read--I picked out some extras since I knew we wouldn't be doing any other "school" activities (at least with Charis), and we sat on the couch and read for an hour. The boys listened while doing puzzles on the floor and table nearby.
Then Charis decided to go up to her room and lay on her bed for awhile. I had given her some Tylenol because she felt feverish again, plus was complaining that her head hurt. She may have dozed a bit off and on, though I couldn't tell since I was doing school activities with Tobin then later puzzles and reading with both boys. I peeked in on her around 10:30 and she said she felt hungry, so I took her some crackers and juice, plus some extra pillows since she wanted to sit up and read. She stayed in her room through lunch time (I did take her a cheese sandwich, since that sounded good to her), reading happily.
The boys played outside awhile after lunch, so I took advantage of the time to clean all 2 1/2 bathrooms! You know it's bad when you have to clean the master bathtub--not because of a ring around the tub, but because of dust!! I don't know how long it's been since anyone used that tub! It's now fuzz and dust-free and ready for me to soak in sometime. :-)
After I finished my cleaning spree, it was around 12:30, and I decided to let the kids watch a Sesame Street DVD we checked out from the library, since it's due tomorrow and we haven't yet seen it. We cuddled on the couch and watched together. The kids are all in bed now, and it's very quiet, though I don't think anyone is actually asleep yet. I started blogging this entry this morning and am just now sitting down to catch up on it! Maybe I'll lie down on the couch and take a short snooze myself!
Then Charis decided to go up to her room and lay on her bed for awhile. I had given her some Tylenol because she felt feverish again, plus was complaining that her head hurt. She may have dozed a bit off and on, though I couldn't tell since I was doing school activities with Tobin then later puzzles and reading with both boys. I peeked in on her around 10:30 and she said she felt hungry, so I took her some crackers and juice, plus some extra pillows since she wanted to sit up and read. She stayed in her room through lunch time (I did take her a cheese sandwich, since that sounded good to her), reading happily.
The boys played outside awhile after lunch, so I took advantage of the time to clean all 2 1/2 bathrooms! You know it's bad when you have to clean the master bathtub--not because of a ring around the tub, but because of dust!! I don't know how long it's been since anyone used that tub! It's now fuzz and dust-free and ready for me to soak in sometime. :-)
After I finished my cleaning spree, it was around 12:30, and I decided to let the kids watch a Sesame Street DVD we checked out from the library, since it's due tomorrow and we haven't yet seen it. We cuddled on the couch and watched together. The kids are all in bed now, and it's very quiet, though I don't think anyone is actually asleep yet. I started blogging this entry this morning and am just now sitting down to catch up on it! Maybe I'll lie down on the couch and take a short snooze myself!
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