Day 1

Journaling the days while my husband is away, hoping to see that we filled them well, and in greater hopes of having them pass quickly!

AJ and the boys arrived home safe and sound last night at 11:30pm.
It is wonderful to have my boys back (although I must have a short memory, because I'd forgotten the amount of noise they add to the household!), but my time with my dear friend and husband was too short before he had to leave for Kentucky this morning.

We were all a little off-kilter as we unpacked clothes (CLEAN ones, thanks to Gramsie!), and figured out what the days ahead are going to hold.
I didn't try to make it a school day, though we need a couple more weeks worth before we're officially done for the Summer.

Zack discovered some "new" books I picked up at the thrift store, and poured over them much of the day. We napped early, and finished putting away the travel mess.
Later in the afternoon I had the children run off steam outside, and they played for a while with chalk.
They were barefoot, and Susanna found the remnants of a cactus off the edge of the patio - not happy!
I think I managed to get all the fine spines out - thanks to some tweezers I could actually FIND when I needed them!

For dinner we used left-over salmon, and made a spread which we thinly applied to tortillas, adding diced bell pepper, fresh spinach leaves, and sliced cucumber. We rolled up this concoction and cut into manageable-to-hold pieces.
Surprisingly, everyone ate it even though it was a bit off from the norm.
I was pleased.
I wasn't crazy about it myself. It was okay, but I wouldn't go out of my way to make it again!

The boys each showered (I can't believe they are big enough to do that themselves these days!), and I spent a little extra time tucking in tonight.

The "tucking in" routine is a hard one for me. No one wants to go to bed, and I'm pretty tired myself, so I haven't much patience for every last request - of which there are many, because if you multiply a last request times four, then again times say... three (what? You thought "last request" meant that it was the last?!)
Anyway, that makes for a lot of "last" requests (in case you hadn't deduced this yourself!).

I'd like to try a new tactic, but I'm not making any long-term promises. We'll take it one day at a time.
I'd like to have Bible time again in the evening (we have it in the morning usually) - probably focusing on the Old Testament.
I think that the novelty of having me read to them once they are in bed will improve their interest in Bible Reading.
My hope is to try acting out the chapter after I read it, so putting it into a bite they can really chew on and think about as they fall asleep.
I want to make the Bible something that comes alive for them, and I think this will help make it exciting!
Believe it or not, the Lord blessed my effort tonight - despite the obvious spiritual warfare going on with wiggles and distractions, but no need to drag it out.
Brief and to the point worked just fine, and we were able to pray together too - something we need to do more often.

Anyway, I got everyone tucked in and had the usual getting -up-fifty-times saga, but it was okay. I had done what was most important already!
I think it would be good if I could get on top of some of that rig-a-ma-role while AJ is away. It would be nice to know they will all stay in bed once tucked in. (YEAH RIGHT!)

AJ's cell phone decided not to work last weekend, and I'm pretty sure it is a priority to get it fixed.
However I had the pleasure of a nice long (and fun-filled) "chat" with him on the computer while I was ruling tyrant with the Little Bugs.
It actually made the evening load a little lighter:-)
After that, I completed my evening with an episode of All Creatures Great and Small which we've been enjoying through Netflix (Sorry AJ, you missed this DVD, but that's a price you pay leaving town for two weeks!).

Now a little blogging and off to bed.
Hopefully tomorrow will be great! I'm planning for it to be;-)
All your prayers are greatly coveted. I'll keep you up to date!

Love,
Me

Book for my Boys

Yo ho ho! Look Ye Here:

Since we read Swiss Family Robinson we've been pining for another good "boy" read.
I've been wanting to read Ballantyne's books since I saw them in Vision Forum, and now's my chance if I could win this one!
One of Mother Hen's pirates is giving this book away and I WANT IT!!

(Don't YOU?)

Go take a look at the contest and see if you want to enter too!
If I don't win this fine book, any of you Aunts or Grama's are welcome to buy any of the Ballantyne books for us as birthday or Christmas gifts. (Look at G.A. Henty too)
You can find them here.
You'll also be able to read a little about the Author and his works if you click on the above "here".
:-)

Beautiful Daughters

Green Bean

This... is "Green Bean".














He has been keeping me company by sitting on my desk while my boys have been away.

Green Bean is the beloved sand-filled amphibian belonging to Clayton Praise,
however...
Sir Green Bean was one of the treasures I found in my Mother's Day gift from that son O' mine!

How cherished I feel to have the honor of caring for little Green Bean - what a thoughtful gift!
Every time I see this little fellow I think of Clay and how much I love him.

What are your plans for that child of mine, O' Lord and King?

What A Week!

It has been an interesting week for me.
I know some of you are probably pining for some pictures of the children, so I will get my act together for you after I fill in the gaping holes of what's going on in our lives.

Daddy Bug packed up my two sons and departed for California on Tuesday. News to you, will be that we sold our house.
This doesn't have anything to do with our Colorado expedition.
Rather the right thing fell into our laps at the right time, and it was time to let go of that very special place.

The biggest "thank you Lord" is that we were able to sell it with a short escrow, and with the stipulation that we weren't going to FIX ONE THING - take it AS IS!
That was/is a huge load off for AJ!

We discovered that we aren't "house project" people at this stage in our lives; when Daddy Bug gets done with work, we like to REST, and maybe even go play, but NOT deal with an over-grown yard, unsided house, fences, driveway scraping, pool cleaning, to say nothing of numerous other projects!

I have no idea what's next, but for now I'm acquainting myself with the word "Gypsy"!!

Anyway the boys went out West because some things needed to be moved out of the house and container, even though we have a few months before the barn needs to be emptied.

ACTUALLY... those fella's deserted us for a more FUN event in the annual Father/Son camp-out at the coast!
I am really proud of Daddy Bug for buying tickets and taking them, because it wasn't a good or easy time to "do" it.
Zack got ear infections after they got there, and by the grace of God, improved enough to still go camping!

"Quiet" might be the word you'd expect to describe a girls-only household, but not so.
Sue got the ear infection thing, and let me tell you, she is not quiet when she's sick!
In between down days, we went thrift store shopping with the Smith's, and last night joined them for dinner and a visit.
Today we even made it to church, and attempted the park afterward.
Unfortunately it was a short-lived event for my girls - we rely on our afternoon nap too much!

All in all, if I have to be a single mother, this is the best-case scenario.
Apart from that positive out-look, I can find very little good in being without half of my family whom I adore!
I can't wait for them to get home tomorrow night!

Susanna was heart-broken when she found out Daddy Bug wasn't taking her on the "Father Daughter" trip too. She was all packed!
(a hug and some Skittles helped ease the pain!)



















Waving good-bye at the airport.



















I didn't cry...
...much.

Sue wasn't up for the park today. (maybe you can even see the skinned knee?)



















Olie was my girl for play!

























































Isn't Carolina sweet?



























This is her new outfit from our thrift store excursion!

FOUND!

I can vacuum now.

Yes-siree!

I made the mistake of putting my pearl earrings on a shelf within Olivia's reach. I probably shouldn't blame her since I didn't SEE...
But unfortunately she is the #1 most likely culprit.
You see, a couple day's ago, I noticed they weren't where I left them. And knowing my memory...
Then, I discovered two of four parts on the floor. Um-hmm.

Just now I got down on the floor with Miss O', had a little sip of "tea", and proceeded to ask if she had seen...
Surveying the lay of the land eye-level with the floor, I spotted the missing pearl - JUST before I even finished my question!

I am in no way being disrespectful when I say YES! There IS a God!!!

And now I can vacuum with a clear conscience - which is good...

I saw the floor at eye-level.

You Asked For IT!

MY QUIRKS (just a sampling)

Well I got exactly the help I expected, and if I was giving out prizes they would go to my sister Moll, who's known me her whole life, and my dear friend Super Momma who has remained my friend (despite all my quirks) for over 12 years!

1) Super Momma, I contest that I spill mustard on myself EVERY time I eat a hot dog! You can't exactly prove that for a fact, since I've eaten hot dogs out of your presence.
However by those observant peoples often in my sphere at meal times... it is a well known truth that I manage to land some morsel -whether small or large- on my person (and most especially when I am pregnant!).
Now... as to that ONE incident to which you are referring, it is not nice to keep the innocent in the dark: It was a Sunday afternoon between church services, and two sixteen-year-old girls got lunch at Costco. Attempting to avert the inevitable disaster (and instead tempting fate), ONE of those girls covered every last inch of her front -from neck to knee- with napkins.
The rest is history!

2) I DO like Country music. It's true. See there was this really,really,really cute blond boy...

3) As to the way I used to dress, THANKS A LOT SIS! I admit that you might have hit this one right on the money (how's wearing your dad's old flannel shirt, with blue jeans you painted Bible verses and quotes on?). Here's the thing though, it didn't keep that cute blond boy from coming around! ;-)

4) I think it's a little quirky that I always kick off my tennis shoes without untying them - strange because I still have to untie them when I put them back on!

5) I've got news for you Super Momma, being able to "decorate" is NOT quirky. What IS quirky, is this:









decorating your room half-way (notice the left wall painted half-way up?), and being able to live with it indefinitely (that might be thanks to my folks, I'm not sure).

6) Quirkyness number 6: I am NOT a clean freak, but I DO like things to appear tidy on the outside. I'm a very good "stacker", but not a real good "scrubber", and I hope that's no indication of my heart's condition!

7)I prefer to wear socks instead of slippers, but I DO NOT LIKE stepping in something wet with my nice dry socks! (so those of you who leave puddles in the bathroom after showering, BEWARE!)

IN CONCLUSION:
So... Molly, it is not my quirk that wouldn't let you touch that wobbly bed post - it is with great humility that I own that was strictly bossy-ness. I'm sorry that has stuck with you all these years!
I DO like green more than the average person,
and prefer my Safeway Select Rocky Road ice cream IN A MUG... but you forgot the part about having it with milk over it (this was on my 7 random things about me post).
Also... I do love to climb tree's though I have a hard time believing that I could like it as much as Super Momma!
I haven't climbed a tree in quite some time, and really, there are not too many to choose from where I live now.
Maybe when I come home this Summer?
Want to go tree-climbing with me Super Momma?

Diane, I DO remember your post now! (sorry about that!) And THANK YOU for obliging me again:-)

Oh, and one more thing... I have NO IDEA what you are talking about when you referred to my "funny"? faces??? PLEASE - no need to elaborate!














(Several Silly Sisters in a row!)

Do You REALLY Want the Scoop?

I have been favored with a tag from Mother Hen. 6 quirky things about me.

Rules:
* Link the person who tagged you.
* Mention the rules in your blog.
* Tell about six unspectacular quirks of yours.
* Tag a new set of six following bloggers by linking them.

I'm sure I could extend the list far beyond it's capacity, but in a strange twist from the original version, I want to give those of you who know me a chance to offer YOUR OWN INPUT!

Quirk: 1.a peculiarity of action, behavior, or personality; mannerism: He is full of strange quirks.

I'm guessing that if you (Molly, Super Momma, Emma, Mom, and Gramsie, and any others brave enough) were to oblige me this once in participating, I would have a list of my own quirks that would make even me laugh!

Pretty Please? You don't have to limit yourself to one or even two...
You may comment or e-mail me and I will post the list along with my own self observations - and lest someone else jumps the gun to tag you before I get to ya:

AFTER YOU HELP ME OUT HERE, I tag:

Super Momma

Picture Sister

Auntie Em

Sarah Jane

Grace

Diane (you have to play this time - please?!)

(In a great act of kindness -one of my lesser known quirks- I bestow tag-power upon Faith for tagging my dear Suzanne!) :-)
(Besides... Suzanne seems to have fallen off the face of the earth. Perhaps someone who knows her better will black-mail her with a list of her quirks if she doesn't participate!)

I give you a deadline of sometime tonight, for tomorrow I will post.
On a side note, I KNOW MANY OF YOUR QUIRKS dear friends, and I have black-mail as a back-up last resort to motivate you!

My Mother's Day

glitter-graphics.com

What did YOU expect Mother's Day to be like?

Did you thinking of YOUR Mom?
Did you expect a nice card, or maybe some flowers?
Or are you one of those who braced for a rough and bumpy ride (because that's often what you get on "special occasions")?

I always want to think that I don't have any expectations, and certainly not HIGH ones!
That's not true though.
Somewhere in the small selfish part of me, I expect Mother's Day to be MY day now that I'm a mother.
There's one small detail that doesn't add up with this idea...

If Mother's Day is for ME and about ME... where would the children be that MAKE me a mother? It would be a lonely day without them!

HOW IT WENT...

I got up at six o'clock on Sunday morning to see my Beloved out the door - he was leaving for Kentucky again.
I had fully planned to try braving church on my own, but after five hours of broken sleep, I was beginning to wonder if this was a good idea?

When both girls woke up sounding like sirens, I made my decision.

Shortly after, I discovered that Olivia had another infection in her right ear this time, and it had ruptured! Poor baby:-(

We decided to go out to the grocery store and get some special things for lunch, and just as we were ready to walk out the door Carolina (in her brand new little outfit Gramsie gave her) had a Bomb-out - even worse than this! (is that possible?!) So anyway it was a strip down bathe her in the bathroom sink affair.

We finally got to the store, and got through tall our grocery shopping ending at the ice cream.
You have to end at the ice cream because otherwise it will melt when you shop, but you have to understand that I specifically went to Safeway just so I could buy my favorite Safeway Select Rocky Road ice cream.
Guess what.
They were clean out. I searched behind all the cartons of vanilla (there's a reason why there was still plenty of vanilla, mind you). I literally stood there one one leg trying to figure out if I could solve this very serious problem some other way.

I was tempted to get the management and sob "HOW CAN YOU DO THIS TO ME!! LOOK AT ME, FIVE CHILDREN, GROCERY SHOPPING WITH NO DADDY ON MOTHER"S DAY! I DESERVE MY ICE CREAM!!!" Honestly I think it would have been worth it if I thought I'd have gotten my Rocky Road out of it, but I had a feeling they weren't holding out the last carton just to spite me.
I settled for chocolate and all the fixings for hot fudge sundae's.

When we got home I sent Olivia downstairs to find her cup. When she didn't come back up I sent Susanna after her.
Then SHE didn't return! Now you know it is in mother's best interest to get to the bottom of that ASAP... but I didn't.
Up comes Olivia with sister in the lead tattling that "Olivia was eating chocolate kisses!" (Never mind that Sue joined in the fun as evidenced by the brown mouth and teeth!)
Later that day I looked (but not too closely) in the trash can in the bathroom and couldn't see the bottom for all the candy wrappers.
On the bright side, I was just glad they were in the trash and not the toilet!

Miss Carolina had fallen asleep in her bouncy chair during this escapade, and shortly thereafter I heard a loud thump as Sue had tipped the chair forward (unintentionally) and landed baby's forehead on the baseboard against the wall.
Ei-yie-yie!!! Nice little dent in her head!

WHAT I HAD FORGOTTEN TO BE THANKFUL FOR..

Of his own accord, Clayton Praise worked hard all week making a special Mother's Day gift for me. With great care he filled an entire empty Huggies diaper box with pictures he had drawn, and envelopes full of his treasures: beautiful jewels, necklaces, and his own clothes "for the next baby (that we don't know anything about yet) to grow into".
My favorite was an envelope that contained every last dollar from his money can - eight, to be exact!
If that's not enough to melt your heart!
He is such a generous guy! (I love you Clay!)

I climbed into bed with my Little Bugs after I had tucked them in, and just reveled in the goodness of my Lord.
How amazing that I am the mom of five healthy, beautiful children - definitely NOT what I deserve.
Without THEM, I would not have the privilege of celebrating this special day at all.
If anything, all the events of the day served (upon proper consideration) as a real reminder of just how much I am needed.
I am needed!
And not only that, but I am needed by those I love most, and who love me back despite all my short-comings!
THAT should be worth celebrating!!

It was.
And I did!

Mrs. Smith came over with her crew and miss Gretta, another friend, and spent the night.
We shared great big bowls of ice cream sundae, and laughed about the day! We watched chick flicks, in our pajama's staying up 'till all hours.
We had a lot of fun:-)

The best part though, was being able to be thankful for the honor of being a mother.

Oh, how I am.

What Reprieve?

As many of you know, there is one place in the house where a mother can get a few minutes of guilt-free reprieve from the mayhem:

The Loo.

NOT for me this evening though... and again, many of you know what I am talking about when I say just how unjust it seems to have slipped away from the din, closed the door and breathed a sigh of relief, only to be accosted by a sick and whiny two-year-old pounding on the door and wailing (yes, wailing) the name which can at once sound dear and at other times (such as this)...
NOT so dear:

"Maaaa -ma!!!"

The sad truth hits - you did NOT escape.
The "din" followed you!

Now, I would have taken her with me if she had been in the right place at the right time, but she was a day late and a dollar short.

I think that's what I was too.

I'm glad I have a sense of humor, for with ringing ears I listened to her pound on the door with her fist, then try throwing her body into it a few times, and finally when the first two (more bold and aggressive) measures didn't produce the desired effect, I heard a sweet little two-handed knock.
That one was pretty cute. Too bad for her, she'd already set the tone!

So much for "The Reprieve of The Loo"!

It's actually pretty quiet at the moment, after all that rig-a-ma-role. But if you want a really good story, stay tuned for My Mother's Day. (It was a DOOZY!)