Friday, December 18, 2009

The Time Had Come...

...To scrub the stove top and kitchen sink.




















There comes a time when it must be done.
It can be put off only so long, and then one day when you are planning for guests who have never seen your house, you look at your kitchen with a more discriminating eye.

It's then that you think to yourself,

"My sink IS white, isn't it?"


and maybe,

"Has there always been this much food escape
d from the frying pan and imprisoned under the burner grate?"

By this time you are either turning up your nose in disgust, or nodding your head in empathetic understanding. (Or laughing your head off)

I LOVE you understanding ones!

And to the disgusted, I hope you are always able to keep the meticulous standard you currently have (and I cheer you on!).
If not, perhaps you can come read this again in a few years and join the empathetic nods.

It is the ranks of the humble I have joined.
...And the ranks of those who's kitchens are about to sprout legs and sneak out the door.











If you come to my house this weekend, don't look too closely.
I have scrubbed the sink and it IS white...
I have wiped down the stove and it IS black under all that pancake-popcorn-fried egg-spilt oatmeal crust...
The counters will be sparkling, and the floor swept, but mopping?
Nope.
You are bringing your four children, right?

...And YOUR five?

...And YOUR eight?

...And YOUR six?

Your husbands too?















O.k. then.

I'll mop on another day.

Thursday, December 17, 2009

Call Me "Nuts" Too.

I AM crazy, but it was a very silent store at ten p.m..

I wandered the isles in peace, and was at liberty to browse.
In fact, if it hadn't been a grocery store I might have considered it a vacation!
You don't "browse" with six little sweeties in tow.

I didn't nap yesterday either (which is scary all by itself), and when AJ blonged me on the computer to chat from work, he asked

"Aren't you supposed to be napping?"

I replied yes, but that I wasn't going to; I was out of my mind, because any sane mother of six would grab that bull by the proverbial horns, however...

Any sane mother of six littles also knows that in order to accomplish more than meals, school, diapers, and the putting out of fires... and to stay sane... skipping a nap is the only way to add more hours to the day (and sometimes the most productive and QUIET hours too, I might add!).

Well.

That and shopping at midnight.

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Crazy, but True














Almost nine o'clock at night.
Against my good judgement and without joy at the prospect, I am headed out to gather groceries and a few trinkets for stockings.

I am not a shop-a-holic, rather I am somewhat sane in my thinking that it might be easier without six children in tow - no matter HOW well behaved and pleasant they are!

The thing is, my big guys are getting big enough that it makes sense not to be out during school hours. That throws up red flags for some people and it's not worth it to me to risk the scrutiny.

That leaves after 3-ish, and that's the time for dinner prep, and melt-down prep...

Who wants to shop with six sweeties if it's the "melt-down" time of day?

Which six sweeties want to shop with a melting momma?

Hence the late hour and me going out.

Call me crazy... it's how I do it.

(at least the week before Christmas!)

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

"Grahm Cracker" Gingerbread Houses








































































































































































Lost In Translation? NEVER!




















I wrote the translation on Susanna's paper as dictated by her, but in case you can't read it easily:

LWD U NO ME (Lord, You know me)

WN U NO ME (When you know me...)

I CANOT SE UU (I cannot see you)

SOW IU WOSH FR U
(So I wish for you.)

Snippets of Idaho: Sparkly Pinecones

















We planned ahead when we were at Marvel Hill last Summer and gathered pine cones.

There are an abundance and a variety at Marvel Hill (unlike where we live in Colorado - and I don't think cactus would substitute very well!), and we seriously pondered if/how we could bring a Christmas tree with us too...

Nah!

Anyway, pour some tacky glue onto a paper plate












Roll pine cone in the glue, then drop into a zip lock bag along with several Tablespoons of glitter.






























Shake the bag a little, then remove pine cone to dry.







































We used four bags with four colors of glitter.
After the glue was dry (we waited over-night) Zachary hot glued a loop of ribbon on top, and we hung our sparkly creations on the Christmas Tree!












Viola!

Sunday, December 13, 2009

12 Weeks


I found him sucking on his thumb while laying on his tummy...
That could be good.
He smiles and coos at me and is my most adoring fan, but whip out the camera and he stares with a quizzical eye.

Every day we chuckle about how much he looks like me.
That's a first, and I told my Great Guy that we must have used up all his genes!
Have to dig in to my reserve now ;-)

The children's Granny has been pretty evident in two or three faces.
It's fun to see how they change as they grow, and to see yourself in them at one time, and their dad in them at another; and sometimes other relatives peep out at you!

I'm sure this fella is all his own man.
I will watch in amazed delight as his personality unfolds!

Friday, December 11, 2009

Subtle












That's what I am.

I'm a girl who likes surprises, but I have a husband who isn't a surprise kind of guy.
He will buy me anything I want without a blink (and I'm not complaining about that), but I have learned that it's better to be specific and know what's coming, than to hope, wait, and be dissapointed.

You know that red mug I received a few days ago?

That's a good example of what I'm talking about here.
I thought to myself "how can I get AJ to buy that mug for me (because it's a lot less romantic to purchase it for myself and tell him he bought it)"

This is what I came up with.

Me: "Hey Honey! You know that blue mug I gave you for your birthday? I had decided that if they ever made one in red, I'd get it - and guess what? They have it in RED now!"

He: "Did you buy it?"

Me: "Nah. Haven't got around to it yet"

And that's about as subtle as I get these days, but look how it worked out for me!

Now. This hat.

Another early, unwrapped, Christmas present.
We had been shopping at REI and I fell for this hat, but couldn't justify it.
Fast forward a day --->

Me to He:
"You know that hat I showed you?
I think I need it.
I really don't have a nice warm fleece lined hat for the cold.
We do live in Colorado and Northern Idaho now...
Yep.
You can get that for me if you want."
(wink wink grin)

And it worked as you can see.

So I am learning his language and he mine.
I don't hint so much as I did twelve years ago...

And he occasionally surprises me! ;-)

Do YOU like surprises?

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Firsts are Too Wonderful!







Wednesday, December 9, 2009

I LIKE it!

I said if they ever made this in red, and they have.














And so... My Beloved.

What more needs be said?

I can't explain it. There's something about a special mug that makes it's contents taste that much better!
The contents I like to fill my mug with?
Chocolate.
Combined with coffee.
Add real whipped cream and top with cinnamon and you have something VERY good.
Only - if "one" (namely myself) drinks favorite contents often... not a great idea.
For obvious reasons.

I don't believe that concoction can be topped, but try me.
For the first time in my life I am thinking about becoming addicted to caffeine, and I was wondering if any of you have a favorite tea that is not decaf? I'm kind of a fruity tea person and I'm fairly sure that Peach tea isn't going to do for me what coffee and chocolate will ;-)

So if I can fill the mug with something to make me smile (and stay awake), the next question is whether the Red Mug makes me happier?

Or thinking of the giver?