A Few Days Ago...Plus...

So, in trying to "document" my life, I know that I've missed a couple of days already. (I have trouble sticking to something to the end...it's a lot of my dad in me...too many hobbies, too little time...too much ADD) Anyway, I need to start back a couple days in order to factor in all the pictures...here it goes:

Picture #1 is for Day 3: We love milk in this house...we go through at LEAST 2 gallons a week and we're already on our third today. Had to just take a picture because my husband thinks it quite unusual...I don't know, I grew up on YUCK powdered milk and so now I think I just crave the real thing like crazy!

I hadn't really been out of the house since Monday...Was gettin' kinda cooped up. We had Life group over on Thursday and I was sorta lamenting to them about...nice thing about having your pastor in your lifegroup...he's able to spin things in a way that everyone "wins"...all that to say, my husband took the following day off and we had a family fun day!

Started out with sledding...we took the girls to a large hill, which we had never done before. Normally we just use our little hill out back...they LOVED it. IT was bitter cold, but we bundled up and off we went. Baby C was with us, so I didn't get to sled as much as I would have liked, but regardless, it was a lot of cheering, and screaming and laughing and spills and sliding and just plain FUN!

Then we dropped little one off at Nana's and took the older girls to Wendys for lunch (always a treat to them!) We ended up at COSI for the afternoon...just doin' science experiments and watching science presentations. The evening wrapped up with my eldest spending the night with her cousin at Nana's house, my middle child getting a vanilla milkshake and staying up to watch Parent Trap and having a sleep over in mommy & daddy's room!

We were all exhausted by the end of the day, but it was much needed! I think we missed being out, missed being with daddy and missed just blowin' off the entire day to do fun things!

This brings us to today...we had an appointment to get our pictures taken at 11am. The girls were showered, blowdried, dressed, fixed up and ready to go...we even got there early...only to find out that the electricity had just gone out and no appointments were being filled...bummer! So, hopefully we'll get some "amatuer"shots in by mommy this afternoon, once little nipper wakes up from her nap!

That's my end of the week report:) Stay Warm!

Day 2: Snow Ice Cream

Well, for the start of this little Project 365 (which I may rename to Project 52...basically just try to document a week instead of every day...we'll see) Anyway, for the start, this has been quite fun...I just take a picture of something we do for that day...I will confess that I've already taken a few pictures of "everyday" things...that way if I forget a day, I can slip it in because we probably did it anyway...am I making any sense?

Here's Today's Picture:

So already this morning we made Snow Ice Cream...I was up early with Miss Early Bird Baby, checking my facebook while I made her some breakfast and I came across a friend who said she made snow ice cream for her kids...I have never heard of this before, so I do what all Moms in my Generation do: We GOOGLE...so I googled it and low and behold there are umpteen recipes for Snow Ice Cream...I put on my boots and trudged into our backyard to put out a big 'ole bowl so it could fill up with snow.

When the older two woke up I told them that we would do school work until the bowl filled...that took all of 2 hours, it is snowin' like crazy here in the Midwest...Anyway, I printed off the recipe, the girls invited their neighbor friend over (because of course, school had been cancelled) and we made an ice cream treat at 10:30A.M.

This is what is looks like after you pour in the cream/milk, sugar and vanilla...Here's the finished product with all the trimmings: chocolate syrup, sprinkles...the works!and here' the look of delight as she spoons it into her mouth..."Ice cream in the morning Mom? This is GREAT!"All three enjoying...might be a good day!!!

Project 365

Well, maybe more like Project " I hope can at least document possibly 200 days out of the year?"

So… my friend sent me this link to this “project” and I thought it was really neat…what a great way to just document everyday life. I thought I would just try it out on my blog every once in awhile (Don’t worry, I doubt I will make it an EVERYday occurrence…that could get really boring for everyone) But, just a picture a day sounded fairly easy and with a blog rather than a scrapbook, I don’t have to print anything! Yippee! Basically, you take one picture a day, for a year…pictures can show what you’ve done in a day or every day things or memories you might have had during the day…there’s not really a rhyme or reason to it, but to just say, hey, this is US for today! I probably should add that being a “photographaholic”, I won’t be able to just post ONE picture whenever I do this…I’ll never be able to decide on which ONE tells the best story…so just be forewarned…

And so I begin: Day 1…

Every morning it’s the same thing for breakfast for my middle child! I try other ideas, like cheesy eggs or bagels or toast or even muffins…nope, she’ll have her buttermilk waffles with flaxseed and wheat germ please! I’m not complaining, at least they’re healthy! And the wafting of steam from my waffle maker makes my house smell so yummy in the morning…it’s like a staple food for her. It makes me laugh, because her daddy is just like that too…I don’t think in the past 9.5 years of marriage that we have ever NOT had waffles on a weekend…When Anthony wakes up Saturday morning, first thing he does is get out the buttermilk, flour, eggs, etc. etc and heats up the waffle maker. He’s the early riser too…so I “smell” the waffles before I even make it out of bed!
And so I start this 365 day adventure in the morning…with the “Most important Meal of the Day”…Waffle day is Everyday at our house!!!

I have a friend

I have a friend whom I am so thankful for...she'll know who she is when she reads this blog...not many people read this thing anyway...I find that I end up spending or "wasting" a majority of my time on facebook rather than blogging...I think because I'm an extroverted type person, meaning that I am energized by people rather than alone time...so this time sitting alone, writing, without the little red "notification" thingy popping up...well, it's a little disheartening at times..HOWEVER...I blog on! Because, there are occassions that I do enjoy alone time, relfection, take a deep breath time...

Boy, I surely get sidetracked...I was starting this off about a friend...okay, so I have a friend who always inspires me by her ideas for "projects"...she and I share similar traits: nonconfrontational, people pleasers, talkers, a little ADD, photographaholics, clutter bugs...you're getting the pictures...anyway, she always has these great project ideas and sends them my way. The thing is, is that I LOVE the ideas too...I just don't have the gumption, nor the discipline to keep them going...

The newest "project" she sent my way is called Project 365...it's awesome...take a picture and journal a sentence or two about something in your day EVERYDAY for 365 days...for a person who's memory is already fading at age 34...this is wonderful...I could document our LIVES...the girls, my "motherhood", homeschooling, you name it...and then I think of the 3 manuscripts that I've written in my desk drawer, I think of my scrapbooks that I still haven't completed for the first year of one of my girls, I think of my laundry that is piled high, the stacks of clothes that need to be folded, the car that is a mess, the list goes on and on...maybe I DON'T want to document my life...I'd come face to face with the "chaos" that it is...yikes!

Anyway, dear, sweet friend of mine...keep sending me those projects...I can at the very least, daydream about all that I COULD do...and someday...soooooooommmmmmmmmmmeeeeeday, maybe we'll "have" the time to complete them all! My promise to you though...we WILL make time in the NEAR NEAR future for a late night Starbucks run...just you and me...girl time!

Thank you God for good, good friends!

Hangin' out at home

This week has been a rough "parenting" week...it's been speckled with a lack of confidence on my part, frustration and impatience. (I'm being brutally honest here:)
Having 3 children at 3 completely different 'seasons' of life sometimes makes me feel completely stretched to the limit...now, I know that those that have more than 3 kids or have multiples, obviously have it harder...but for now, I'm humoring myself and just saying that we are each given what we can handle...and my "handling" hasn't gone that well this week...at least in my opinion.
My eldest is starting to think for herself...she needs more guidance and room to make mistakes...this is extremely hard for me. I'm perfectionistic at times and it kills me to watch her make silly mistakes. There are times that I have crushed her spirit with my impatience. She has the most compassionate heart and is a true people pleaser...I struggle with how to guide and yet lead her to be indepedent.
My second born is a "free spirit"...she doesn't stress over the little things...good in some instances but a complete frustration in others...she'll be a "mary" when she grows up instead of a "martha", but noone will want to come over because there won't be room for the "stuff" all over the place that she hasn't cleaned. She bounces back easily and therefore it's a bit easier for me to parent because she doesn't get as "hurt" by my shortcomings. On the other hand, because of that I let it go too much...there's so much more i COULD be doing for her...
And then, my baby...she is my stubborn, strong-willed little thing. I am at a loss with her...my energy level is SHOT by the end of the day. There are times I just call Anthony in the middle of that day and just ask him, "What in the world do I do with her?" She doesn't take as much "intellectual" energy as she does "physical" and "emotional".
Anyway, it's been a rough week...I'm just bein' honest...not trying to be a "downer" or anything...I don't have this parenting thing figured out in the least.
I'm hoping for a refreshing weekend and a renewed vision...I think I need to go a "date" with my eldest, play in the snow with my middle and sit and do puzzles, eat suckers, and dance with my baby and perhaps things wil get a little better:)

My Sewing Adventure

I’m one of those people who likes to Improvise! It’s a challenge for me to figure out how to make something or fix something when I don’t have all the right pieces. That could be part of the reason why I’m a pack rat as well…countless times I’ve plodded down to my basement to pick through my “junk” to see what I could use, in order to “Improvise” and fix my problem.

I’ve gotten so much to be that improvising person that I almost feel at a loss when I actually have all the tools at my fingertips. In fact, you might even say that at that point I get panicky…you see, when you don’t have all the right “parts” there is no pressure for it to come out perfect…it just has to work, not look beautiful or anything…just do the job.

Now, there are times that I’m perfectionistic, don’t get me wrong. When it comes to painting furniture or walls, or when I’m making something for someone else…then I get really particular about the little things. But, for everyday life, I just want to be efficient (some could confuse that with lazy or just wanting to rush to get it done…and you could argue that point with me…but, for now…let’s just call it efficiency)

Which brings me to my bright idea to make hats and scarves for my girls. You would think with my mother being an incredible seamstress…the one who CREATED my wedding dress without a pattern…that perhaps I’d inherited her talent…not so! No, my idea is that “sewing” is much more easily done with a stapler. But, I do try on occasion to “stretch” myself…so, I picked up a 99cent pattern and some 40% off fleece and came home to “sew”…

Another thing you need to know about me: I don’t like reading directions and then being expected to follow them exactly. I’d rather someone just show me and I’ll copy them. Putting all these “qualities” together: an improvising nature, not liking directions, rather work with a stapler, will choose efficiency over perfection, and did I mention that I’m rather impatient? Well…it doesn’t make a good mix for the whole, “Let’s make some cute hats and scarves for the girls!”

By midnight last night after ripping apart the “headbands” at least twice, I was about ready to give up…I called both my mother in law AND my mother for help and encouragement…for heavens sake, all we’re talkin’ here is a mere hat and scarf…how hard can it be…I so wanted to just pick up some heavy duty duct tape and slap it together fast…but I persevered!

Well…to end this pathetic story…here are photos of the finished products. I’ll have to get the girls to model them at another time, but I’m just so glad that I’m finished. I did end up cutting up 2 fleece blankets that I had.., yep, you guessed it, IN THE BASEMENT!!! In order to have some contrast colors…had that “bright idea” right in the middle of the project…just so happened that the blankets contrasted well with their coats!!!
Thanks Mom for at least introducing me to the sewing machine and keeping staplers at a safe distance for some of the time…thanks Mom T for explaining over the phone umpteen times what the directions were really saying…and to those of you that are seamstresses, yes, I know I look the fool and I do so admire your abilities…keep it up!!!

New Year Resolutions

I've never really been big into new year resolutions...I'm not the most organized person on earth. So, for me to actually make a plan and stick with it is pretty slim. I'd either loose the list or get distracted with something else while working on a list item.
Last year around this time, we purchased a treadmill. It still amazes and humbles me in big ways when I realize how fortunate our little family is...the finances and/or ability to purchase items like that...I don't know quite how else to put it. It just makes me feel spoiled, but really, really grateful...not sure if that makes sense...I just came from not so much (food stamps, homemade clothes, etc) It makes me be a frugal person and a saver...so at times it's hard to spend that money when the time comes. But, oh the amazement when it's saved up for months and we get to purchase a big item...Okay, this was COMPLETELY off the point (see what I mean about being distracted?)
Well...back to the treadmill...I'm not a runner either. I don't really like running, never have. I tried track...I stunk! My legs hurt, I'm running around a track getting no where, I get that pain in my side, I'm out of breath...all reasons to NOT like running...but we got a treadmill anyway. The point was to get in shape...neither Anthony nor myself really needed to loose weight persay, but I felt sorta "flabby" after 3 kids and figured I ought to be a good example and get my blood pumping....
It's been on and off for about a year...but Anthony has really started to like it recently and is quite the disciplined fellow...I have found that if I have "company" with my agony, I'm much more willing to go along...and so I RUN...
Can you believe that I'm running 2.5 miles in 30 minutes...now, I know for some that is laughable, but to me...that's like, pure, amazing!!! And, get this, I'm actually...dare I say it, "liking" running just a teeny weensy bit now...I got the girls on the treadmill today...they've been begging...so I let them each do 20 minutes...they LOVE it...
Who knows...maybe this whole New Year Resolutions thing will actually work this time...