I'm awake. It's 4:11 in the a.m. Eli was awake at 3:06 a.m. with a fever. Fever, although adorable still and very lovey dovey.
He's back to sleep. Yet, here I am.
So let's recount the wonderful weekend of yore. Yore?
We went camping at the lake this weekend, complete with Pterry and Rosie Posie Clark plus all three kids and us which equals a freakish nightmare for those around us at the campsite who wanted to "get away from the noise". Oops.
But heck, where CAN families go these days? We're even banned from some restaurants. Psh.
Anyway, we had a lot of fun. We went on lots of hikes and Olivia once again sunk herself in knee deep mud and all was good and normal until we found our first......
golf ball
And then another!
And another!!!
It was a friggin gold mine of golf balls down by the lake. Apparently, someone has a past time of hitting them off the bluff above us and to our total glory, because the girls began scrambling and scrapping and fighting each other for the next....golf ball.
Really.
Sophie was so excited she exclaimed, "I love the world! This is like a World Target! We came here and now we are getting toys!"
My face reddened a bit and I glanced down at the sand pretending to look for another GB. I could feel Steve's head shaking tsk tsk glance. Judging. I pretended not to notice.
So? So...my kid just compared God's beautiful green Earth to the glory of Target. Maybe I have unknowingly raised Target up to level of excellence that even children can appreciate. Um...I'm sorry. God made the people who made Target so it's all related!
Go World Target! Keep giving us golf balls to our hearts content!
Thank you World Target.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Monday, August 22, 2011
Morning glory
Look what I found this morning! The overgrown vine city in my backyard is finally starting to bloom!
First day of school
First day of school! First day of school!
Aren't they cute with their lunch bags?!
I miss them already.
Happy first day of 1st and 3rd grade girlies!
Saturday, August 20, 2011
A day like this
Today I met some amazing people. Today was just an amazing day. There's no other way to put it.
Today I went to a writer's conference. This may sound boring to most of you, but to me...it was HEAVEN. They even had Mt. Dew, so it was for sure heaven.
First of all, Nicole C. Mullen opened for us with song. Not just song, but song that was performed with so much soul, sign language, spirit...it was so full of expression that it overflowed. I tried so hard not to cry. I hate crying. I really really hate crying. Especially in front of people. (Gasp!) But I just couldn't help it. Watching her perform was almost more than I could handle. Apparently, that is what it looks like when someone knows their gift is from God and uses it for the glory of God, with confidence, grace, poise, enthusiasm, honesty. It was more beautiful than can be described here. I won't ever forget it.
After that, we were filled with a vast amount of information regarding writing, publishing, marketing, agents, everything an aspiring writer would ever dream of knowing. More than I ever imagined receiving for my $35 registration fee. Pretty sure I spend that in latte's weekly. Oops.
I also met some fantastic people. I spoke with other people who all had different dreams, who all had different talents, but we all shared one hope: to refine, to hone our craft into what we always pictured it to be. I'm excited to get back to my book. There are peaks and valleys, I know that. I'm glad to be out of the valley and on my way back up the mountain.
Some inspiration for your day?
Check out this guy's blog.
http://fourfeetsixinches.wordpress.com/
I met him, he impressed me with his humbleness, quiet strength, determination, and love for God, and I can't wait to read more of his stuff.
Today I went to a writer's conference. This may sound boring to most of you, but to me...it was HEAVEN. They even had Mt. Dew, so it was for sure heaven.
First of all, Nicole C. Mullen opened for us with song. Not just song, but song that was performed with so much soul, sign language, spirit...it was so full of expression that it overflowed. I tried so hard not to cry. I hate crying. I really really hate crying. Especially in front of people. (Gasp!) But I just couldn't help it. Watching her perform was almost more than I could handle. Apparently, that is what it looks like when someone knows their gift is from God and uses it for the glory of God, with confidence, grace, poise, enthusiasm, honesty. It was more beautiful than can be described here. I won't ever forget it.
After that, we were filled with a vast amount of information regarding writing, publishing, marketing, agents, everything an aspiring writer would ever dream of knowing. More than I ever imagined receiving for my $35 registration fee. Pretty sure I spend that in latte's weekly. Oops.
I also met some fantastic people. I spoke with other people who all had different dreams, who all had different talents, but we all shared one hope: to refine, to hone our craft into what we always pictured it to be. I'm excited to get back to my book. There are peaks and valleys, I know that. I'm glad to be out of the valley and on my way back up the mountain.
Some inspiration for your day?
Check out this guy's blog.
http://fourfeetsixinches.wordpress.com/
I met him, he impressed me with his humbleness, quiet strength, determination, and love for God, and I can't wait to read more of his stuff.
Monday, August 15, 2011
Beautiful morning
I've recently fallen in love with the morning. I'll duck while you throw something at me for being so annoying.
I love the morning, but just like everyone else, it is hard for me to get out of bed. Eli squeaks and then yells BY 6 a.m. e.v.e.r.y s.i.n.g.l.e m.o.r.n.i.n.g......no matter what. I roll my eyes. I wait it out, hoping it will go away. But it doesn't. So I trudge into his room (I'm sure it's a terrifying sight), messed up hair, eyes half shut, tripping because my legs don't work yet...but then he starts bouncing in his crib, hanging onto the bars and jumping up and down like a cute little blonde monkey. And then I pick him up and he snuggles into a big bear hug and I rock him back and forth like that for a moment. It's a perfect moment but it only lasts for just that. And then he pushes away and dives for the ground. It's a brand new day, mama! Things to do. Things to see.
We pull the curtains back in his room and see what kind of day it is. His eyes get big when we look to see what's happening outside. And after a new dipe and a bit of food, we take off in the now, COOL morning air for our walk. This walk has become my favorite time of day. There's not a lot of people moving around our little neighborhood, and although the busier streets are full of cars, they are a few blocks away. So for now, for then, the world as we know it is not disturbed. Except for the crickets and birds of course. They are as loud as ever. The sky is perfect. It's a little chilly but just enough to confuse you as to whether or not to wear a sweatshirt. The flowers in the yard are all blooming and exquisite.
I push my little bright eyed baby up and down the big hills. The weights that always hang over my shoulders are suddenly not there. No thoughts of bills or schedules, money, obligations, or must haves, but most importantly....the have nots have disappeared. Because I realize, that we actually have it all.
A morning walk can equal an hour of meditation, a clearing of the mind and renewing of the spirit, communion with God and with nature, all disguised as a sleepy mom, with an early rising baby...making the best of having to be out of her cozy bed where her husband still sleeps under the roof where her big kids are still asleep too, reminding me that...this won't last forever. But I suppose I wouldn't mind if it did.
I love the morning, but just like everyone else, it is hard for me to get out of bed. Eli squeaks and then yells BY 6 a.m. e.v.e.r.y s.i.n.g.l.e m.o.r.n.i.n.g......no matter what. I roll my eyes. I wait it out, hoping it will go away. But it doesn't. So I trudge into his room (I'm sure it's a terrifying sight), messed up hair, eyes half shut, tripping because my legs don't work yet...but then he starts bouncing in his crib, hanging onto the bars and jumping up and down like a cute little blonde monkey. And then I pick him up and he snuggles into a big bear hug and I rock him back and forth like that for a moment. It's a perfect moment but it only lasts for just that. And then he pushes away and dives for the ground. It's a brand new day, mama! Things to do. Things to see.
We pull the curtains back in his room and see what kind of day it is. His eyes get big when we look to see what's happening outside. And after a new dipe and a bit of food, we take off in the now, COOL morning air for our walk. This walk has become my favorite time of day. There's not a lot of people moving around our little neighborhood, and although the busier streets are full of cars, they are a few blocks away. So for now, for then, the world as we know it is not disturbed. Except for the crickets and birds of course. They are as loud as ever. The sky is perfect. It's a little chilly but just enough to confuse you as to whether or not to wear a sweatshirt. The flowers in the yard are all blooming and exquisite.
I push my little bright eyed baby up and down the big hills. The weights that always hang over my shoulders are suddenly not there. No thoughts of bills or schedules, money, obligations, or must haves, but most importantly....the have nots have disappeared. Because I realize, that we actually have it all.
A morning walk can equal an hour of meditation, a clearing of the mind and renewing of the spirit, communion with God and with nature, all disguised as a sleepy mom, with an early rising baby...making the best of having to be out of her cozy bed where her husband still sleeps under the roof where her big kids are still asleep too, reminding me that...this won't last forever. But I suppose I wouldn't mind if it did.
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Rin Tin Tin
We were watching my friends little girls tonight and I took them out for a walk around the block. When we got back, to my horror, I noticed Rosie's gate was gaping wide open. Guhhh. I didn't even have to look to know she was gone...looong gone. The kids, who were all filing nicely into the house to play, suddenly went on full red alert, running in circles madly. Olivia was screaming orders out to the smaller children, while our neighbor boy came flying out of the house, hopping on his bike, screaming "Don't worry! WHICH WAY DID SHE GOOooo.....?" Um....if I knew I would have found her by now.......? Eh, why even say it.
Steve hopped into the truck and began to look for Rosie Posie Clark. After a while of sheer panic in the hearts of all of those under my care under the age of 9, a police officer began to circle the block. Should I stop him and tell him Rosie is lost? I asked my friend next door. Do you think I should stop him? He circled again. Police are here to help us right? So I flagged him down. As he slowed I rushed to the window and said, We lost our puppy!
And that's when I saw her. Rin Tin Tin...K9 Cop, riding like a jail bound criminal in the back of the cruiser.
She was breathing heavily. She looked pitiful.
"Nope. Haven't seen her. This is MY canine," he said.
A joke. Phew! This was a good sign.
But short lived.
After that I got a somewhat frightening schpiel about some kind of civil disobedience citation or something for letting my dog run free. I smiled a lot as he spoke. Rabies...children..blah blah blah....I did a lot of nodding and smiling. He found our dog! Isn't that great? What? Registered? Um...we did that. I think. A while back. When was it due? Huh? Well.....maybe. No, her tag broke off. Yes, I realize that doesn't help you. A $25 fine? No? A warning? On our record? Wait, I have a record? Polk City has records on people? I decided to smile more. I told him about the little girls I was watching tonight and how they opened the gate and I didn't know it. Hmmm....he's still talking about a citation. Now I've given him my address and phone number.
Aw, what the hell. Take the damn dog back to doggie jail! I want to LIIIIVE!
BOOK EM DANNO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Steve hopped into the truck and began to look for Rosie Posie Clark. After a while of sheer panic in the hearts of all of those under my care under the age of 9, a police officer began to circle the block. Should I stop him and tell him Rosie is lost? I asked my friend next door. Do you think I should stop him? He circled again. Police are here to help us right? So I flagged him down. As he slowed I rushed to the window and said, We lost our puppy!
And that's when I saw her. Rin Tin Tin...K9 Cop, riding like a jail bound criminal in the back of the cruiser.
She was breathing heavily. She looked pitiful.
"Nope. Haven't seen her. This is MY canine," he said.
A joke. Phew! This was a good sign.
But short lived.
After that I got a somewhat frightening schpiel about some kind of civil disobedience citation or something for letting my dog run free. I smiled a lot as he spoke. Rabies...children..blah blah blah....I did a lot of nodding and smiling. He found our dog! Isn't that great? What? Registered? Um...we did that. I think. A while back. When was it due? Huh? Well.....maybe. No, her tag broke off. Yes, I realize that doesn't help you. A $25 fine? No? A warning? On our record? Wait, I have a record? Polk City has records on people? I decided to smile more. I told him about the little girls I was watching tonight and how they opened the gate and I didn't know it. Hmmm....he's still talking about a citation. Now I've given him my address and phone number.
Aw, what the hell. Take the damn dog back to doggie jail! I want to LIIIIVE!
BOOK EM DANNO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Van conversation #4908
Sophie to her friend Abbey in the back seat of the van on our way to VBS:
"I go outside every night on my front step and howl at the moon."
Abbey muttering thoughtfully: "Man, I've got to try that."
"I go outside every night on my front step and howl at the moon."
Abbey muttering thoughtfully: "Man, I've got to try that."
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