"They Call Me Her..."

I feel like this blog needs a new title.
Any suggestions?

Be Still My Heart

Yesterday, the kids were feeling better so we all went outside and played in the dirt a little. I managed to get all of the garden beds weeded, rake some leaves, and haul away a few tarps full of yard waste. Reese dug up 3 earthworms with her little shovel and relocated them to the compost bin, offering grapefruit and banana peels as a new home...cuz that's pretty much all that's in there.



I'm a little excited about the compost thing.

I'm a lot excited about the garden. It's one of my favorite things we do as a family. We actually EAT the food that we grow. We give a lot of it away, sometimes unwillingly to bugs and neighbors who barge on in and take what they want, but also to our friends, who in return, share what they have grown. It's nice.



It felt so good to be outside with my kids, today.



I worked hard while they napped, and then we worked together, and then we just played.

I pushed them on the swings and silly songs were sung.

Reese's flip flops were flung from her feet and into the sky as she went higher on her swing.

Corbin threw a lot of dirt, and probably ate a good share, too.

Quincy made a mud pie and refused to touch the worms.



I took a minute to soak everything in. I watched my beautiful children, all laughing and swinging happily, and thanked God for giving them to me.



I am far from perfect, far from patient, and am well aware of where I fall short of my potential.

But on this particular afternoon, I experienced one of those moments where everything was just perfect. I was so overcome with affection for my sweet little ones, that I felt my voice shake as I told each of them how much I love them.



Reese responded, "We love you too, Mommy. I'm glad I'm your heart. That's where you have the most special love. In your heart. That's where we are."



I love them.

They are my heart.



It was such a perfect afternoon, I was sad (and so were they) when it ended.


Good thing we have today.

Gratitude Thursday

So much to be grateful for, today.

How about a list?

Emily brought us chicken noodle soup last night, and I am very grateful.
After class (where I rocked my speech, btw), I stopped by Kasey's for some "crappy day chocolate cake" straight from the oven.
I went to bed feeling refreshed and ready to take on the challenges and excitement of a new day.
I'm grateful for friends who know when I need a pick-me-up.

I'm grateful for my book club.

I'm grateful that I discovered pink grapefruit, this year. WOW! Where has this been all my life? I can't get enough, and am strategizing a move to Ca, Tx, or Fl so I can grow my own. Yum.

I'm grateful for the dollhouse that Missie gave my girls years ago. They play with it every day. EVERY day.

I'm grateful for fresh flowers in my kitchen window. Orange tulips are my fave, and every year I resolve to plant them in my yard, and forget. Fortunately, Walmart sells them in $5 boquets, and these lovelies have been blooming beautifully for 10 days.

I'm grateful for my collection of 8oz milk bottles. They are pretty.

I'm grateful for my flat iron.

I'm grateful for new running shoes.

I'm grateful for antibiotics (always.)

I'm grateful for tampons, cuz seriously girls...how different would our lives be? Just sayin'.

I'm grateful for disposable diapers, because Corbin has not had a solid poop in over a month, so the cloth diaper idea was shelved until I have a diaper sprayer and enough diapers to keep up with his grossness. Operation Cloth Diaper was not a complete failure...but definitely not the success I had hoped for. I will reattempt another time.

I'm grateful that I'm not afraid to try new things.

I'm grateful that my Love is a morning person because I, most certainly, am not.

I'm grateful for my little old house and all of it's imperfections.

I'm grateful that we feel like we are bursting at the seams in this little house, because that means our family has grown since we moved in 5 1/2 yrs ago.

I'm grateful that I have both daughters and a son, because the experience has been extremely and wonderfully different with each. I am blessed with both.

I'm grateful for dates with Aaron.

I'm grateful that my mom's surgery went well.

I'm grateful for running buddies.

I'm grateful that Reese is excited about soccer and joined her team for practice without hesitation, this season.

I'm grateful that Quincy did not get an ear infection in the midst of her ailments.

I'm grateful for the little battery operated polar bear that corbin thinks is a real "kitty", because it is sooooo cute.

I'm grateful that Hayley encouraged me to start a composting. My soil is going to be bomb, this year.

I'm grateful that it is almost time to plant our garden. What are you growing this year?

I'm grateful for diligent Visiting Teachers and Home Teachers.

I'm grateful that the Bella Vista POA changed their poultry policy, cuz I'm gonna get me some chickens! I can't wait to surprise the girls with some baby chicks to raise.

I'm grateful for a new-to-me blender and food processor.

I am grateful to only have about 8 weeks left of school.

I'm grateful that some new friends of ours have horses and are going to hook us up with some free poop for the garden. I love free $#it. hahahahahaha!

I'm grateful for deep fried heaven and excited to go to Monte Ne Chicken this weekend.

I'm grateful for Burts Bees ResQ ointment.

I'm grateful to have a job that I love, and for a successful little preschool.

I'm grateful for a daughter who loves to clean.

I'm grateful for the peace, answers, and guidence I receive when I read the scriptures.

I'm grateful that my hair has almost grown past the horrible stuck-on-the-shoulders length that is highly unflattering on me.

I'm grateful for $24 over-the-knee boots that should arrive in the mail, today.

I'm grateful for safety.

I'm grateful for "just because" phone calls from my family.

I'm grateful that even during a chaotic week, I am genuinely happy and feel blessed to have a life that I love.

Luck o' the Irish

There was a leprechaun party up in here, last night! Rainbow Skittles and chocolate gold coins were left behind near our new books.

And the last of the milk? GREEN!

It will taste nasty because milk is disgusting delicious in our Lucky Charms cereal (which now has an unacceptable marshmallow to cereal ratio).

Top o' the morning to ya!

It's Baaaaaaaaaack...

Last night involved making trips from one bed to the next to take care of the sickies.

Someone, at any given moment had a fever, was thirsty, felt achey, needed to go potty, had a fever, was thirsty, felt achey...

All night long.

Question:
How the crap is this still happening?

I have laundered and bleached every surface.
Is our air toxic?
I am so very tired of my kids getting sick that I feel like I am going to lose it.

Spring is here! We need to be outside, playing, getting dirty, being warm, growing things, running, enjoying sunshine.

I'm letting them indulge in whatever they want to eat (marshmallows from the lucky charms bag, soda crackers, juice), dress however they want (no pants for Q or Corbin, jammies for Reese) and watch whatever they want (Alice in Wonderland, Little Brown Bear--aka worst $1 I ever spent, but they love it, and Thomas the Train--thanks, Carrie).

Corbin wants to be held 24/7, which is new for him, so I kind of love it.
That kid is a hoss.

Last week, at the doctor (yep. just last week. we've all been on antibiotics since Friday. stupid virus.), Corbin weighed in at 26 lbs at 21 months old.

Quincy weighed in at 27.5 lbs and she is 4 1/2.
There are 2 1/2 years between them, but he is going to pass her! (or eat her.)

Anyweight, they're all sick. Rosy cheeks, chapped lips, sad little puppy eyes.

And I'm giving them whatever the heck they want, today.
Because when you're cookin' at 103*, the body wants what the body wants.

And maybe if I surrender and spoil those little bodies with whatever they want today, Mr. Fever will chill out and get out.

Dear Mr. Fever,
Pick on someone your own size.
Leave us alone, and go hang out with Winter.

We have a Spring to enjoy.

Use Your Noodle

I made a big batch of colored noodles for necklace making with my preschool kids.

Do you know how easy it is to dye noodles?

SUPER EASY!

You will need:

-dry noodles (keep in mind who will be using them, there are some smaller noodles that are about the size of those plastic E Beads, but I was worried they'd be too difficult for my preschoolers to string, so I got a larger, fatter type of noodle) I used two boxes to make 1 gallon size bag of colored noodles.

-food coloring (just the old school liquid kind)

-white vinegar

-gallon sized ziploc bag (one bag for each color, or be like me, and start with yellow, then reuse the same bag with the next darker color....yellow, orange, green, red, blue, purple...)

-something to pour the noodles out onto to dry (newspaper, an old box, jelly roll pan, etc. I used the cardboard trays from the cases of bottled water.

This is so easy, I did the entire gallon sized bag in like 20 minutes, and they were dry within an hour.

1) fill a bag about 1/3 full with noodles and add 2 tsp white vinegar

2) add 10 drops of food coloring

3) shake and massage baggie until liquid is absorbed and color has spread evenly

4) pour noodles out onto tray to dry. I try to stir them every 5 minutes or so so they don't stick together

5) repeat process for each color

6) Enjoy making necklaces with your little ones!

The KGB Will Ask the Questions!

Last night, Aaron and I cracked up laughing over a rerun of The Office where Dwight, Jim and Michael are telling knock knock jokes about the KGB. Funny stuff. I hadn't heard a knock knock joke--that actually made me laugh out loud-- in a long time (maybe ever?), but leave it to The Office to make it funny.

The conversation that unfolded moments ago proves that either my standard of knock knock jokes has lowered, or my kid is disgustingly awesome.

Reese: Hey Mom! Knock Knock!
Me: Who's there?
Reese: [giggle. giggle. bigger giggle. HUGE FART. explosive laughter]

totally gross.
but also kinda funny.