june 29, 1991

Yesterday was mine and Art's 19th wedding anniversary.  Art and I agreed that there wouldn't be much celebration on the day of with VBS happening.  We even said we wouldn't exchange gifts, what do you really need after 19 years of marriage but each other?  He broke our agreement. 

The girls and I came home last night, worn out from night #3 at VBS.  We got the girls to bed and I ended up on the living room floor folding together and counting tonight's craft when my hubby cleared his throat (loudly).  You know it was one of those throat clearings that means listen up!  He was standing by our kitchen table with his cute Arthur grin, pointing to a bouquet of flowers.  I had totally overlooked them in the hustle of bedtime.  Aren't they full of color, just beautiful.  I especially love the sunflowers, he knows how I love them.  I felt like crying - tears of joy, tears of exhaustion, tears of remorse for not breaking the rule myself. 

Later last night after counting I crawled into bed and planted a big kiss on my man.  I think I shocked him, he was asleep after all :).  I thanked him again for my flowers, he squeezed me tight.  Sappy I know but bliss for me.  I love being in love with him. 

a little behind

I'm  a little behind this week.  VBS is happening at WCC leaving me little time to get the usual chores done.  It can feel overwhelming to me at times but I know it will get done.

Laundry.  These are clean but all my baskets are full already (I hate it when that happens)!

We ran out of the house yesterday morning for bible study which I wasn't prepared for.  Another thing I am behind on.  I was desperate and grabbed the hidden box from the back of the pantry, Pop Tarts it was!  They were thrilled of course I had to let it go as I pushed a banana at them to eat with it. 

Tonight we eat on the run again which has been ham, cheese, peanut butter sandwiches, carrots, apples, chips or fast food.  I miss sitting at the dinner table with my family and eating things like broccoli, yes broccoli! 

It's only for a week and what a fun week it has been so far.  My girls are absolutely in love with Vacation Bible School.  Seeing all the kids become heroes has been a blessing.  My prayers are that each life be touched and blessed this week.  I know I have been even if I am a little behind at home.

decorating the 4th - the red, white and blue

festival

on my desktop this week

Vacation Bible School is next week!  This is prep week so of course my desktop would reflect that :-).  I loooooved VBS as a kid and love to share it with Grace and Sarah.  I am working in crafts again this year.  The theme is Hero Headquarters!  We are making capes for our heroes, 200 of them!  Only 100 more to cut out :-).  It's been fun, I hope the kids enjoy as well.

**Thanks Mel for all your help!**

clutter ideas and new chores {part 2}

I had a friend ask me about the chore chart I mentioned in my June 23rd post.  Here it is @ 320 Sycamore. 

clutter ideas and new chores

I feel like I've tried them all.  Ways to keep up with the clutter and toys that come out on a daily basis.

I've tried the Saturday box a MOPS Mentor Mom told me about.  When her kids were growing up if they didn't pick up their toys when asked it went into the Saturday box.  That meant it stayed in that box until Saturday and could not be removed and played with until then.  This worked for her and her kids.  My kids, didn't seem to bother them that the toy was off limits.

Make it a game.  Been there, done it.  No matter how many times you play and sing the Barney song, they catch on pretty quickly as they get older and the excitement fades.

Four o'clock shuffle.  I've heard it called many things but I thought four o'clock shuffle was the catchiest.  My friend had heard from another that each day at 4:00 p.m. her kids clean up from the days events.   I tired this but found it didn't fit our schedule, we were just getting home at this time with tired, cranky kids who wanted to just chill before being asked to do anything. I knew it wasn't going to work the first day I tried it.

This is my latest attempt. I call it the put away basket (creative I know). It sits behind a chair in our living room. If Grace and Sarah have pulled out games or big toy sets they are expected to put them away before the end of the night. This basket is for those stray things that accumulate and make their way under the couch, on the floor, in our bedroom etc... When it is full I set it in their hallway, it blocks the hallway as a reminder to clean up. So far it has worked, they do it with less moaning and I don't have to nag them on a daily basis. It sits there, they know it needs to be done and they do it. 

Chores!  These are the latest ones we have added to the lists. 

Sarah has started to make her own bed, this is not what we consider a chore.  It is a part of life.  She's four now which means she can handle more responsibility, the bed being one and the latest is once a week making sure toilet paper and back up rolls are in each bathroom.  Ever have the need for tp when all is gone?  This happens at our house.  She now goes to each bathroom and checks the dispenser as well as the back up stored in the bathroom.  She's enjoys doing it, I've seen toilet paper rolls rolling down the hallway.  She makes it fun.

A new one for both is helping me sort laundry, fold and put it away. They both have fun diving into the pile before we sort.  Grace has been putting away her clothes for awhile now but sorting and folding is new to her, she does well with it.  Sarah needs a little help in the folding department but she knows where everything goes and helps me put it away. 

I found a chore reminder chart on a blog a couple of weeks ago.  I tweaked it and made it work for us.  I adapted it to our morning routine.  With summer the routine is calm and less rushed but I've found with the chart we are getting things done.  The chart has their morning routine listed on it, I printed it on cardstock and had it laminated. With each chore there is a clothesline clip that gets clipped on as each chore is done.  When they complete it they can play.  I sit it at their breakfast spot since eating is the first thing on the list.  They go from there.  I got tired of feeling like I was barking out the same orders morning after morning.  It has helped.

I like the idea of starting new things in the summer.  That way we can work out the kinks or try a different approach before fall starts and things get crazy. 

e-joys {learning}

1} Grace learning/reading a favorite of mine.

2} Sarah learning to make her bed. 

have i mentioned

how handy this guy is?

how fun he is?

how smart he is?

how adorable he is?

how he provides?

how creative he is?

how much I love him!

{Happy Father's Day Art}

best examples

This is my Mom and Dad.  Today is their anniversary.  They are the best examples of love and commitment in a marriage to me.  I aspire to be like them, I aspire to have a marriage like theirs.

So thankful we have them.

this fish loves this

She is learning so much with her swim lessons. 

She is totally in love with the pool and has taken the name of Momma's fish. 

She loves this.

night with the redbirds

We spent the night with the redbirds and family.

They won, 6 to 4!

.25 cent drinks at Mobil on the Run today :)!

I love going to the ballpark.

The music

The crowds

The cheering

The crack of the bat

All very exciting

Art and I figured out that we hadn't been to a game since Sarah was in my tummy, that's FOUR years y'all! 

Wow, we were overdue.

Here's our classic shot, I have one of these from each game we've gone to.

Mike, Art and Jess.

Janene too.

Great night.

good laugh

Mommy Rhapsody from Church on the Move on Vimeo.

idea for dad

For those Dad's with a sweet tooth, the following gift hits the spot on Father's Day:

Sweets that say I love you...
Put treats together with sweet sayings.  Tape candy to card stock, poster board or attach handmade cards and write a clever message to each piece such as...

Tootsie Roll - "because you make us roll with laughter"
Jolly Rancher - "because you're the jolliest, sweetest Dad"
Hershey's chocolate bar - "because you're an All-American classic"
Pay Day - "because you work so hard for all of us"
M&M's - "because we love you More & More each day"

I did this with the girls and they really got a chuckle out them, especially the tootsie roll message :).

*I can't take the credit for this, it came from Family Fun Magazine June 2006 issue*

blueberries

The local orchard here opened its gates this morning for blueberry picking.

We got there early and enjoyed cool temps before the heat forecasted today.

We got a good soft rain last night so the berries were glistening and beautiful.

Aren't they huge?!?

My berry girl helpers.

Sarah could have picked all day.

It was an adventure for her to find the BIG berries.

Don't let the sweet smile fool you.

This one was ready to go when the bucket was half full.

Our harvest.

FULL bucket.

Can't wait to make blueberry muffins.

Sarah is wishing for blueberry shakes.

on my desktop this week

This photo is extremely out of focus (I took it with my phone) but it is on my desktop this week.

And it needs some explanation doesn't it...

I took this for the girls.

When Art or I get sick our girls offer up their stuffed animals for us to sleep with.

They say (the girls), that it will help us sleep and get better.

Before the girls left for my sisters this past weekend they left these two friends with Art, to help him recuperate.

I had to take this picture and send it to my sister for the girls to see. 

Isn't that a sweet gesture from my girls!?  Isn't he a good Dad!?

:)

my definition of hesed

hesed is the Hebrew translation for the word kindness

In my bible study I was asked to write my own definition of hesed.  This is what I wrote...

"to show compassion and care, to show these in action."

Another question it asked: Has someone shown you hesed?  If so, describe the person and what this extraordinary loves means to you.

My answer:
My friend Jonica.

Jonica is a giver.  She gives in joy.  She loves children and it shows, my girls love her and say prayers of thankfulness for having her in their lives.  That says alot.  She's right up there next to Grandma :-). 

Want to know how I know she loves me?  She gives (duh Nyla, we get that).  Example:  She was the friend I called when I needed to get to the hospital.  She didn't have a second thought, the kids would be in her care for as long as we needed.  This is not the only example of kindness she has shown me, there is a list, but this is the most current.

Jonica asked this same question today at bible study.  I wanted to share but thought I would hold back, flattery embarrasses her I think :-).  So instead I put it on my blog (ha!).  It had to be said.

I am blessed.  Thank you Jonica, for being there when I need you.  For listening and advising.  For giving. For hesed.

last thursday

I spent most of my Thursday here with Art.

I rolled out of bed that morning thinking "I need to text Art and see if he is okay"

Upon texting him, I found out he was admitting himself into the ER at St. Lukes.

Talk about eeeery wife intuition.

At first I was alarmed, "in the ER, huh?!?!"

I quietly but quickly got the girls dressed and fed, it is a blur at this point how I made it out the door.

I told the girls I needed to go meet Daddy, no specifics.

I do remember praying.

I dropped them off with a good friend and headed to St. Lukes.

I found him laying in a bed, in pain. 

In alot of pain. 

I felt helpless.

I prayed as he tried to rest with new pain meds.

Diagnosis, kidney stone. 

Just one but what a stinker.

We waited for a CAT scan to be done.

We waited for pain meds to kick in each round.

We waited on the doctor for results.

We waited.... ughhh.

Stronger meds finally came, yay!

Art sent me off for a walk, I think he could tell from my pacing that I needed it.

I left him resting comfortably, he needed rest.

Walked out the van, sat in the heat, prayed some more.

Texted some friends, ate crackers and peanut butter, waited.

Text came from Art, doctor was sending him home. 

Praise!

We were discharged.

Art was loopy from meds, poor guy.

But he was so happy to be leaving.

We left with prescriptions in hand and directions on how to follow up with specialist.

Drove home, Art moaned.

The medication made him extremely nauseous and anyone who knows the roads we take to go home, understands why he was moaning.

Put Art to bed with cell phone and kiss on the head.

Headed to Walgreens to get prescriptions filled.

Ran to Aldi for bananas and sprite for a sensitive tummy.

Forgot the sprite, ugghhh!

Swung by and picked up two ecstatic little girls for having spent the day with Ethan and Elliott. 

On the way back home with prescriptions I explained that Daddy had been sick, we needed to let him rest and not hug on his tummy but his arm. 

Grace asked alot of questions which I tried to make light.

As soon as we got home they were ready to see him.

He was okay with it and received big hugs (on the arm).

Called my sister who had offered me help with my girls.

Asked her to come and take them.

She brought Sprite.

Art needed rest, quiet and I needed to be there for him.

Janene and Mike came, swooped my kids up in their arms and were off.

The girls didn't even bat an eye, they were so excited to go be with their cousins.

I knew they would be in excellent hands.

In between the time of getting home, packing the girls up and waving goodbye...

Grace did this...

"Help Daddy to feel better"

We have a chalk board in our kitchen.

On it we write prayer requests.

Grace has inquired about it numerous times and wanted to write her own requests.

This is the board in our make shift play/classroom.

Her own prayer list to God.

I had tears and then ran to get my camera.

I showed the image to Art.

Touched us both.

Fast forward 3 days, Art is doing much better.

Prayers answered Grace.

Love that girl.

shake break

This morning was stressful.  It was one of those frustrating parent moments that from what I hear we all have (thank goodness).  It just about knocked me down and out but after hearing from a friend I slowly began to regain consciousness ;-P. We all needed a break... a cool, loving, comforting summer break.  This is what came to mind. 

Chocolate shake

 (basically it's what I had the fridge/freezer today)

2 ice cream sandwiches

2 scoops out of the bottom of the vanilla ice cream carton (all that was left)

ice cubes

Lactaid milk

a long squirt of chocolate syrup

1 Tablespoon sweet potato/squash puree

I know... I know... you think I'm crazy on that last ingredient but it was in the fridge and it was just a tablespoon.  And remember sweet potato and squash are naturally sweet so we didn't even notice it.

Oh and if you are wondering about Lactaid milk mixed in with ice cream from cows milk, well we've noticed that Sarah's little body does not handle cows milk well but she can do Lactaid.  I know it sounds crazy but she does okay with other dairy products like ice cream.  There's something about milk that doesn't agree with her.

There is comfort in food which leads to happy hearts and in our case, just what we needed.

ellen's photography

My cousin is talented. 

She has a way with the camera.

I found these gems on my card.

I love when she takes it and runs with it.

These make me want to scrapbook :).

Thanks Ellen.

and here she is... the photographer. 

Love you El.

thanks ellen

for the picture of me and my hunk.

1-2-3

If only it took three shots to get a decent one of me and my cousins. 

I think in all Art took about 20. 

We are crazy when put together. 

Love my cousins.

lessons

Grace started swim lessons this morning with her friend Ethan.  This is how we should have done it from the beginning.  Kelsey, another church friend, is giving the lessons.  Grace has always thrived in a smaller class setting so this is perfect.  Plus she loves Kelsey :).  She did a great job following her instructions.  Momma's proud. 

camp

Camp was all we expected it to be...

1) bunk beds

2) chapel

3) new friendships

4) Prayer time

5) "Pharaoh. Pharaoh! Oh Baby, let my people go! Hoo!"

6) Water fun

7) Happy camper already talking about next year