Whipped into shape

This is happening in so many areas of my life right now...

WHIPPED into shape...

It rather feels like just plain ole WHIPPING, but I'm going to hope for the positive and regard it as merely "training exercises" that will further my ability to grow.

Let me mention that the above stated "whipping" did not occur in the area of nutrition and proper health on Saturday evening as I managed to scarf down a crispy chicken sandwich, a double cheeseburger, fries and then finished it off with an icecream drumstick all in the matter of about 20 minutes.  Glutony, would be another term that might have satisfied the situation...it doesn't matter that I hadn't eaten breakfast or lunch due to soccer games, drop in visits from friends and the ever lovely downpour of rain changing the attire for the family as we headed to the 2nd soccer game of the day...

Nevertheless...who eats that much?  who NEEDS to eat that much? 

Well...I paid for it with nightmares of old boyfriends, tornadoes, and wacky alien people from the Electric Company again...I need to find another program for the kiddos to start watching...it's just plain getting ridiculous...

So, I got WHIPPED all night and got up at Oh Dark Early to run...and run and run...I didn't feel like eating again for awhile...at that point, Italian Stallion raided what is left of the garden and had ourselves a nice, home grown salad. 

Next on the Whipping Post and much more importantly is my heart and mind...

If you remember, I'm simulataneously reading about a gazillion books...funny how they are kinda all fitting together...a little spooky if you ask me...and yet, perfectly logical when it comes to what God can orchestrate. 

So, if Isaiah doesn't speak it loud enough when he prophecies, "woe to you who add house to house and join field to field till no space is left..."

Mamarazzi translation, "Man, you are in heaps of trouble people if you focus all your being on having a perfect home, and the latest fad toy for your kid, and only choose to wear name brand clothing whether you trick yourself into thinking you're getting a deal cuz you're getting it on sale or handed down from someone else, etc. etc....you're fillin' your life up with STUFF and there ain't no place left"

back up to Isaiah 1 when he starts shouting, "stop bringing meaningless offerings!" 
Mamarazzi translation, "Just stop it...you all are religious and sweet and say just the right thing and profess a sweet and loving God, who He is, but stop thinking you've got it all together and that you have arrived and have it figured it out and falsely believe that you are basking in his approval"

I promise to stop in a sec...but this is just hitting home...I'm not moving to Africa and selling all my possessions...but I want to know where my heart lies...cuz if I couldn't do anything for HIM, then my heart isn't where it should be...He doesn't love me any less because of it, but He WANTS me to 'get it', get what it means to Love Him...and not just try to fit Him into my box of comfortable with a side of "what's the least I can do so that I can feel like I'm giving to the mission"?

WHEW!  I'm sure there are some of you who may stop by my blog every 5-7 days or so, cuz really...you never really know if I'm gonna post anyway, so I don't blame you...but still, stopping by and reading this crazy, loud, Italian (bymarriage) spoutin' off a bunch of religious stuff...well, it's gotta be a little, "umm, can you just go back to posting pictures of you in goggles and trying to make it appear that you can cook?"

Yeah, I don't blame you for that either...

well, maybe...because seriously...goggles?

But, I get ya...and I won't do it all the time...but, I'm learning some things here...and sometimes it's easier to just get it out...talk my way to the conclusion of the matter...so I hope you'll offer small amounts of grace as I  hash through my "stuff"...and I won't be hashing it out online all the time either...b/c that gets dull after awhile...and personally, I enjoy me some photography and parenting cliche's...

Have a great start to your week...

Book Interjection #1

My plan was never to use this blog as a platform by which to "preach"...

It still isn't.

However, as I'm reading about 4 books simultaneously:  Crazy Love by Francis Chan, Radical by David Platt, the book of Isaiah by...uhhh, GOD, and some historical fiction ABOUT the book of Isaiah by Lynn Austin called Gods and Kings.  I have lots of thoughts going around in my head.  And if you even have an inkling as to my personality by now, you realize that it is nearly impossible for me to keep my mouth shut when trying to come to a conclusion about something in my brain...it's as if "talking" gets me to the finish line...

Therefore, periodically, you may see the little above post title of a "book interjection"...this is my arena by which I can spill what's on my brain...however, if you're not interested or not reading those books or really don't  have an interest in the deep thoughts of crazy, picture-taking Mama who may or may not think Spaghettios is part of the food pyramid...then you can feel free to just by pass the post for that day and come back when I'm writing about more interesting things like how much laundry I was able to accomplish in a single day or how I was miraculously able to get the toothpaste goo off the ceramic tile...

the choice is yours...

and with that I begin:

I missed out on Lifegroup last night because I had "Creative Arts Team" practice...(there's a whole story behind the fact that we do not title it as Worship team, but that's really for another post, another day and at least a few weeks after I've tackled the plethera of remedies to disposing of fruit flies and getting ground oreos out of the carpet...)

where was I?

Yes...so, I missed the first Chapter of Crazy Love Discussion... I thought I"d just share MY thoughts on the chapter here...on my blog...cuz I can:)

There were 3 things that struck me in this chapter...right after the title:  Stop Praying
I want to say that right here, it got me...because you know what?  I struggle BIG TIME with prayer.  It goes back to my perception of God...which if we travel back in time to specific experiences in my life where GOOD things were asked for and denied...well, it just makes for the whole, "why bother asking anymore?" 

So basically, "you had me at...Stop praying"

He had us watch a couple of "awe" videos to get the idea of how big is, etc etc...and although it WAS awe-inspiring...all of His creation...what rocked me was this statement:
"If your high view of God doesn't affect how yout hink of Him, then He's just another word in the sand."

See, I "think" I get how big He is...He's CREATOR, He's almighty, He's all-powerful, He's bigger than I can imagine...you can put a million titles in here...

The problem is, is that though I may "know" it...I stuff it into my little box b/c to be completely, vulnerably honest:  I don't want Him to disappoint me...

There I said it...

and therefore, I don't often LIVE as though God is really that big...sure He's big enough to handle all my problems, my parenting questions, my fear of the children getting hurt or sick, the worries of abillion things...but, then I think, "I can handle this one, I mean He gave me a brain right?  so I'll just use it and not tap into His power for me today..."  And I feel like I'm being strong and brave and courageous...when in reality, I'm just scared...scared of trusting.

Here's where it's even more scary for me:  God is all-powerful right? (umm..yeah, you just said that duh) F.Chan states, "Don't we live instead as though God is created for US, to do OUR bidding, to bless US, and to take care of OUR loved ones? versus Col. 1:16  Can I worship a God who isn't obligated to explain His actions to me?  I'll admit to you that this is difficult...I'm a communication person...I want reasons adn explanations...I like to understand the whys...I ask my girls and my husband all the time, "why did you do it that way?  what makes you think it will work?..."

He doesn't HAVE to answer me and that makes me a little mad...it's scary to give that control to Him and trust that He loves me...does anyone else even have a clue what I'm feeling like?

lastly...I liked this last statement even though it frightens me...I know that once I start to take to HEART who God is more and more, statements like this will be EMPOWERING instead of frightening...

"God cannot be contained in this world, explained by our vocabulary, or grasped by our understanding"

So there you have it...those are my "thoughts" for the moment.  I will be back to discussing raking leaves and flu vaccines in the near future...until then...hope you have a GREAT weekend!

Nose Hairs, cold and chili

It's been a little chilly here lately.

I'm not complaining.  I like me some jeans and sweatshirt weather.  I enjoy the smell of a fire outside and burning an autumn candle on the inside...

It's the frozen nose hairs in the morning as I inhale b/c my Italian Stallion deems it non-economical to put the heat on in September.  It may also be the fact that my children like to put their cold hands up my shirt just to hear me scream...

But, as I said, it's been a little chilly here lately...

Chilly enough for big pots of chili for dinner and hot coffee in the morning.  Chilly enough to start wearing socks with my birks...fashion faux-paux #264 I know...Chilly enough that I needed to purchase another sweater because as I said, our heat isn't on yet:)  So, what better way to put that "economy" to good use?
plus, I had just a bit left over from birthday moneys...yippee!

And so with cold fingers I tap away on this keyboard to bring you earth-shattering news from the Italian household...

*silence*

yeah, there's nothing really earth-shattering goin' on over here...lots of soccer practice, life group started up again, studying the book of Isaiah, helping in the classrooms at school, workin' on a cool soccer slideshow project for the girls, continuing my "office decor"...

just stuff...

stuff I thought I"d share...

cuz, you know...you come over here to read the blog and I gotta be writing something...

Have a great Tuesday...I promise to think up some more intersting things to type about here in the near future...

as soon as my fingers warm up...or maybe I'll just go get some gloves...

Happy Tuesday!

WHAT. IS. MY. WIFE. DOING???

Those would be the words coming out of the mouth of my husband last Wednesday.

Let me set the scene...

It's overcast...tornado sirens are blazing in the city just over...wind is whippin' ore the plain...distant thunder is rumbling...and my firstborn is running up and down the soccer field while her daddy coaches from the opposite side.

The first three quarters, the girls are scrappin'...there are no subs...5 girls didn't show up and one showed up in flip flops.  As fourth quarter progresses, so does the rain...as in, a torrential downpour...

The girls are soaked, cold, and out of breath...it's tied 2:2 and I can see from their eyes that they're about out of steam...

What's a mother to do?

I'll tell you what THIS mother does...she hands over her camera to another saint of a mom who actually thought to bring an umbrella...she dons her royal blue poncho and begins running up and down the sidelines...

SCREAMING MADLY...

"you can do it!
"You are strong"
"dig down deep"
"take a deep breath"
"one kick at a time"
"go after it with all you've got"

and it just goes on and on...the screaming, the running, the wild arm cheering, the fist punching the air...

people stare...

I'm sure many shake their heads in pity...and/or annoying aggrevation...

Obviously, I have issues...

I CANNOT keep my mouth shut at my girls' games...I've tried...I've tried sitting on my hands, eating crackers, talking on the phone...It's not that I coach them...I just like to cheer them on...be that voice that validates their pain, that lets them know they've got someone pulling for them...taking photos is about the only thing that keep my jaw from flapping b/c I have to actually steady myself for the shot...

But this night...with the rain...I didn't have my prop to stop me...and I was all out...full force..

I am now wondering what kind of impact this "wackiness" is going to have on the future mental well-being of my girls...

I have a feeling that they are sooo going to need therapy.

The post where I try to justify the fact that I haven't folded clothes in a week

In the midst of my ranting and raving about the injustice in the world of soccer AND my astonishment at my girls' abilities to break the sound barrier with their whining AND continual lack of sleep due to the wantings of young ones or crazy dreams about Ape people and Hector...

I HAVE been busy...

doing ACTUAL things...

Some of those things being decorating "my" office...

And although I hear my kitchen screaming at me, "ya know, you COULD wipe up that dripping syrup from the pantry...we've got a puddle over here" and my bedroom crying, "honey, we haven't seen the carpet in days...couldn't these clothes go somewhere else???"

I have chosen to ignore the voices and push ever onward in my denial of all things clean...and spend time on these more "important" things...

Like cutting paper and sewing uneven stitches and tying pretty blue bows...

And thus began my "office decor love fest"...

Bursting forth from the gates....

I wanted some "inspiration" hanging from the windows...so I did just that...my sweet girls and pictures of our family just hanging from ribbons on my new "sheer" curtain...notice I did not zoom in on the stitching...and if you happen to come over and view said "sheer" I will not be allowing you to stand on a chair to view it closely either, because frankly, I'm not the best seamstress in the world and it's a miracle it actually hangs at all.

 Next we have my personal favorite...MOMENTS...

This is where I took a bunch of wood letters and found some pretty papers and then sprayed them with this 3M photo mount spray and COMPLETELY covered my hands in sticky, gooey adhesive...which in turn allowed me the wonderful task of scrubbing my skin raw in order to get the excess goo to ball up enough for me to peel it from my skin...JOY!

but soooo pretty, right?

That's me hoping that it will look nice on the wall, but too chicken to actually hammer the holes in...so my best guestimate is that the letters will stay on the floor for AT LEAST another 2 weeks until I get up the gumption to do the final deed!

I LOVE my shadow boxes.

Italian Stallion detests them...he thinks they are too bulky.

I,however, believe they are a treasure and I can put so much stuff into them...it's like hanging a scrapbook page on my wall...BLISS...finding a way to my heart...

Another thing I added, just cuz I wanted that "ecclectic" feel..just painted an old clipboard and put some pictures behind an old piece of glass...tie a ribbon and WhaLa...

Lastly...and Little Munchkin's personal favorite...the coasters....

They're just a sweet touch to the room...

Other things I'd like to add are a stainless steel magnetic board, a few more frames, and some other funky hanging thing for more pictures..OF COURSE...

Italian Stallion thought it needed this too...

And once again I am reminded of how GOOD I have it...

even with drippy syrup and crumpled laundry...

Thank you Jesus!

Preface First

I need to preface the following post with a few facts...

Facts of which I am completely and utterly aware...and therefore, once I make my way around the barn a couple of times, will come and land back onto those "truths"

Fact #1- All people make mistakes...this includes myself and my husband and my children
Fact #2- Not all people are kind (and subsequently, not all people are intelligent either...but I digress)
Fact #3- I do not posses the spiritual gift of Mercy
Fact #4- Noone is perfect and everyone needs grace
Fact #5- Dealing with a vomiting and diahrea 3 year old all day, bleaching your house, attending a soccer game where your child's team gets beat into the ground and then receiving a ridiculous email from a disgruntled soccer parent WILL cause you to blow your top.

Okay...that all said, let's just say that although I may lack in the Mercy department, I am FIERCELY loyal...and with that loyalty comes utter abandonment to all things logical when it comes to defending said person to whom I am loyal.

My darling Italian Stallion has coached our daughter's soccer team for 3 years.  We have had the same group of girls all three years...give or take a few that have headed up to select soccer and such...The point is, you aren't supposed to get a choice of your team, but these parents specifically write down his name to make absolutely sure that they stay with him and all together. 

This year we lost a couple girls who, as stated previously, headed up to select soccer.  This left some openings.  Therefore, we gained a few more new girls.  This is always exciting and as such, my hubby refuses to keep things the same, that way EVERYONE gets a chance to participate in team names and team unity, etc.  (this is where the fierceness comes in) You have to understand that soccer coaches get paid NOTHING, NADA to spend any amount of time teaching these girls...and yet, he spends hours watching DVDs and searching the internet for drills...he talks to countless other coaches from different divisions to get any advice possible...he spends hours excel programming out his schedule and the line up and making sure everyone gets a chance to play equal time...AND he spends up to 3 hours after work running practices and dealing patiently with little girls who run around and act all girly!

I have not heard of one rude complaint in all these years.  There have been concerns that have arisen from time to time and people have been gracious and kind and mature in their dealings with him and myself.  Until this evening...

I can't go into too much b/c my poor friend A.M. has already heard a mouthful...and by mouthful I mean, she needed to cram some soap down my throat due to my over-zealous rendition of "don't mess with my family" that I felt it necessary to vent upon her b/c I.S. wasn't going to let me near the REPLY button on the email that was received...AM I am so thankful for you!!!  My hubby doesn't let things like this bother him...it rolls off his back...he wrote the "new dude" back and was done with it...

And I sit here still seething and thinking of all the things I'd LIKE to say...

There are worse things in life...I know...I've been there too...

So, in the scheme of things, it's not really worth my time...and yet, I bore you with another blog post of negativity and vulnerability to allow you yet another glance at MY own imperfections...

There you have...I tried to warn you...and I am completely aware of the preface statement above...I'm not looking for validation (SHOCKER I know) I KNOW my I.S. is an awesome coach...I also know that even though this individual can't seem to put a proper, grammatical sentence together properly, he obviously is in need of grace...

I also know that sarcasm and cynicism is evil and causes people to cringe...

(you're cringing aren't you)

Fact #6- probably not a good idea to write a blog post when you're a tad angry...otherwise, sarcasm and cynicism arises...

Have a great evening!

Daddy, you're a Bob!

Our youngest has developed quite the vocabulary...

AND...she likes to use it...whether she understands what she's saying or not...

AND...even if noone is actually listening to her, she still talks...hmmmm...I wonder where she gets it?

She has recently begun using her hands as puppets to talk to one another. 

I know, I know...you can hear my heart beating a little faster and the excitement building as "mommy" thinks..."Maybe we have another puppeteer on our hands!!!"

Does "puppeteering" fall in the inheritable genes realm??? 

probably not...but anyway...she talks...

she talks a LOT and even uses her hands...which, would also prove the fact that she's Italian I suppose...

All this to say...she keeps us laughing and sometimes with our fingers in our ears or the CD player cranked up just to dull out the constant commentary...

She did manage to say something the other day that had us rolling...to which we said to her...
"Little Munch..." in our long drawn out, eyes rolling sort of way...
and she replied,

"I know...I'm AMAAAAAZing!"

After the laughter subsided she felt it necessary to tell us how "lutty" (this would interpret as LUCKY) we were...

"mommy, you are sooo lutty...and you are so pretty"

she is sooooooooooooo a Momma's girl...

I smiled and gave her a little pat on her leg as we continued driving home from a long, yet fun evening at our church's Holy Ghost Weiner Roast...where Daddy played babysitter and I exercised my spiritual gifts of talking, more talking, hospitality (they tell me) and encouragement...along with a heavy dose of "love me, know me and please have some adult conversation with me"...

She then said to her father,

"Daddy...you're a Bob!"

I don't even know where to go with that...but she thought she was HIL.AR.I.OUS!!! 

I'm looking forward to a fun week! 

Me and BOB!