Afternoon Entertainment

It doesn't take much to entertain the T girls! Nope...
Just get us a dog, a chew stick and a floor to lay on...we're perfectly happy!

It's on it's way...

I"m seeing a recurring theme with my writing lately (well, besides being rather boring and lacking in humor)...and it has to do with SPRING!!! I got my hands good and dirty today planting my seeds to start indoors...I can't even tell you the thrill it gave me...

I took off for the nursery right after baby C was asleep for her nap. I must have had the biggest smile on my face walkin' in there...They all greeted me and asked if I needed help...By golly, you can talk at me about gardening forever, so YES, I need some help...let's chat about potatoes and then we'll go onto onions, and then can you show me which herbs are the most hardy and then we MUST go onto the seed packages...I think I spoke to every single worker there...just asking their opinions on this and that..

Now, this doesn't include every bystander that I spoke to as well...I even brought in my "drawing" of our garden

I wasn't trying to be arrogant or anything, I am just excited about this big ole garden and I can't wait to plant stuff! Well, after my "shop-talk" with all the nursery people and gardening folks inside...I mosied up to the counter and paid for my "Loot"!

The girls were ecstatic when I came in with all my packages of seeds and roots and whatnot! We spent the afternoon planting the seeds into little pots to transplant in May...while Daddy made a couple of the boxes a bit bigger in preparation for my GIGANTIC pumpkins that I plan to grow...we'll see how that goes too.

This is what amazes me...I am not a "try and fail" sort of person...usually, if I fail at something or if I don't think I have a good chance at doing a halfway decent job, I just don't do it...let's just say that I have zip, zero, none, nada LIVING plants in my house...never have...I kill them all...so what makes me think I can do this gardening thing? I have NO IDEA...but I love it!

I do NOT love the smell of the manure/fertilizer/potting soil that is wafting from my room upstairs where all my seed packs are, because that's where the biggest window is...but I will muddle through for a month just for the sake of those sweet little sprouts!

And so, as I lay my head down this evening I will have sweet dreams of all the veggies and fruits that we will harvest this summer/fall...ahhhhhh, the pesto, the pasta sauces, the veggie medleys, the zucchini bread, etc etc...and I thought I would try to loose some weight this summer too...HA

Lest you think...

that I am some horrible person doing indescribable things to this child...be forewarned that this is my brother's doing! My darling, little brother...whom I adore! He loves to kiss and love on his kids and couldn't resist showing me little Jason's "faces"...well, in turn, I couldn't resist taking some pictures!

I have such a great time watching my brother be a dad! We sure have come a long way, haven't we Don? I have quite a few memories (which we both get ragged on about sharing CONSTANTLY when we are together)
I remember:
*saving the world in our Underroos
*threatening to pull out ALL your hair if you "told on me"
*trying to make you "kiss" the neighbor girl in our basement
*walking to school everyday (uphill both ways, with hot potatoes in our pockets)
*riding bikes and playing tornado
*the umpteen concussions you had from falling off your bike
*playing weather girl and you as the announcer
*making card houses
*staying up late talking about anything and everything

I think it is quite unique that God chose to give me all girls and give to my brother, all boys! I love to watch him interact with them...guiding them...teaching them moment by moment to become strong men, like their daddy.

I hope that my girls have relationships with each other, as I have had with my siblings. I tell them, that they will always be sisters...they can choose to be each other's best friends...and it blesses my heart to see them do it! Thanks Don (and Rach) for bein' such great siblings and friends!

People Lovin'

I'm a People Person. I guess you would say that I'm an extrovert too...although I can be introspective and (believe it or not) shy at times. But, I get energized by people. I'm one of those people that can't drive somewhere by myself and NOT try to call someone. I like converstaion...the silence sometimes just irritates me...not all the time. I like a quiet moment here and there, but for the most part, I just like being around people. I don't always have to be the center of attention, but I like to keep a conversation going if I can! I love bein' in a big group and laughing and sharing and just having fun!

That's probably why I like our lifegroup so much! I love being surrounded by people in different stages of life, with different life experiences, but with love for one another! Oh, I just have such a fun time when they are all over here at our house! I even love being picked on (which often happens here on Thursday nights) because it comes from people who know me!

We had a great time tonight and I just was reflecting on it...so thanks for listening!

It's beginning to feel a lot like....spring?

I think I've caught it...spring FEVER!!! (read that, "Fevah!!") I'm ready for it...I'm ready to open the windows (not to mention: clean the windows), plant my garden, grow my herbs, bike ride, run with my neighbor, go puddle jumping, swing on swings, smell some tulips and daffodils, dig in the dirt, wear capris, even with my white hairy legs...I'm not vain...you may be blinded when I finally come out of hibernating all winter, but I'm comin' out none the less!

My head is spinning with all sorts of "plans" for my gardens, and recipes I will make once those harvests come in...I've been researchin' and asking a billion questions about everything...I'm just gettin' ready...sunshine, you gotta get here soon!

My girls did a "play" for Italian stallion and I this evening. They composed the entire musical...Peanut was the SUN and Sweetpea was the "prancing girl"...together they sang about the Sun being Fun..oh what Fun is the Sun...One was in a skirt and tee shirt and the other in a mini skort and tee (that was probably 2 sizes too small for her)...they did their hair in ribbons and barrettes...even staged it in the family room...

What are you looking forward to this spring? I want to go outside without needing a jacket...and make a bonfire for smores with all the neighbors, and sit outside and watch the girls play on the playset...The neat thing, is that my "dream" of spring WILL come true...it's just a matter of time!!!

Esther Study and my girls

I’m in the middle of an Esther bible study by Beth Moore and nothing thus far has challenged me to be more aware of my parenting my little girls than this study. Beth intereviewed over 200 women asking them what are the hardest things about being a woman:
Oh she got some fun answers...I wish I could list them all right here because I have laughed so hard at some of them...but others that she read had some real seriousness to them:
~being insecure
~not being beautiful enough for this society
~having to deal with MEAN people, catty women
~balancing life
~emotional rollarcoasters
~comparing myself to others

What I realized is that not only have I and do I have these things in my life from time to time BUT...my GIRLS WILL be bombarded with these...this is what they have to "look forward to"...I can't protect them from everything...and when those lies and sins come charging at them...each one of my daughters will have the choice to either believe the lies or fight them...

It has really caused me to sit and think about how I parent them, as not only their mom and authority figure but as a "woman". If you read an earlier post from this week, I had the opportunity to deal with "comparison" with my eldest girl. It was eye opening for me and for her. I want to remember to drop everything else that comes charging in my day when one of my girls needs something like that. But, I also want to be proactive...to find ways to not just connect but talk through certain feelings and character traits.

My girls are young...they may not deal with these things for awhile...but I don't think that it just happens overnight either...I wonder if I really thought about it and looked for opportunities in the "small" things, that when they get older and the insecurities become "bigger" and the "meanness" is more emotional...that perhaps we'll have an even more solid foundation from which to build on...

Got some stuff to think about for sure...if you have time and you are a girl :) list your top 1-2 reasons that it's hard to be a woman on my comment list...I'm really interested!!!

Short and Sweet

It's Saturday
I have a cold and can't breathe out of one nostril (sides keep switching)
Italian Stallion has his first soccer practice with the girls
Little Munchkin keeps running around the house chasing the dog
My middle sweet thing caught the cold and has some "weepy" eyes
I feel like the TV has been on for 2 days straight
I'm heading to Michigan to visit the grandparents this week
Little Munchkin had marshmallows for breakfast
Italian STallion got in an accident this week, but he now has his car back and repaired
I think Wonder Pets is a RIDICULOUS show
I don't get how the kids can have an electronic game blaring, the TV on and be talking all at the same time and expect to hear ANYTHING
I really could use a hot white chocolate mocha from Starbucks about now
I write really cool blogs when I lay down to sleep at night and then completely forget them by morning
Our house is cold, but my girls insist on wearing shorts and tee shirts because it's spring
My Esther bible study is really great, although my attitude isn't cooperating with everything else
I can't wait to start my garden...I think I will start in April with potatoes and lettuces
I think I may need some ibuprofen here soon
Graig and Sara made it to Kenya and found a LIBRARY!!! yippee
Yep, I could REALLY use a Starbucks
My house is pretty much a mess, but laundry is almost done
My brother & his family is coming to visit us in Michigan too...and I can't wait
I wonder if I own any socks without any holes in them

so, that's about it for the morning here this cold Saturday in Spring...hope you have a great weekend!