Monday, April 20, 2009

it is dark because it is Sunday night. JR has to do some work from home so I figured I’d get a head start on this post and actually get one published this week! The ten day forecast says sunny and 80-90 during the week; showers for the weekend.

about Susan Boyle. I’m sure many of you have seen clips of her on the news or YouTube. The thing that gets me is that no one thought she had any singing talent because she didn’t look like a pop star – because we all know that singing talent is physically visible (just a hint of sarcasm there)! I guess I should just be grateful that this beautiful woman got the chance to show the world her talent and was appropriately applauded for it. I hope the world takes note – everyone of us is valuable and has our own gifts. It is not possible to see the vast majority of gifts by looking at someone.

my Mom. Her birthday was a couple weeks ago and I didn’t get a post up that week so I want to take the opportunity to give her a little tribute now. I have lots of warm, happy memories of my childhood, most of which include my mother right along side me. I remember making crafts, homemade treats, and singing together. Mom tirelessly devoted herself to every one of our childhood endeavors – girls scouts, 4-H, church choir, and every fundraiser our schools ever put on. When we got to junior high and there was no Catholic camp for junior high kids, my entrepreneur mother & her friends started one that still goes on today. There was nothing she wouldn’t do for us. Thank you, Mom, for the beautiful woman you have always been – inside & out. Thank you for your loving devotion to our family, for your countless hours serving the community, and for always being my biggest fan.

Happy Birthday, Grandma!!

Violet is growing & changing so fast! Well, maybe not growing so fast – she’s still a little peanut, but that peanut can now crawl around the room, sit up when she gets somewhere she wants to hang out for awhile, and then mosey on her way. She is loving solid foods (so far she’s had avocados, bananas, pears, rice cereal, squash, and sweet potatoes). Oh, and she LOVES puffs. I have to make a video of her crying in the high chair. All I have to do is walk over and grab the puffs off the top of the refrigerator (I have to keep them there or her sisters will feed them to her until she explodes) and she instantly stops crying and starts clapping!

Molly is communicating more and more. Tonight she was calling for her baby doll, “Baby, where are you? where are you?” And when she found her she scooped her up and cuddled her and said “There you are!” She was so excited to run around the room showing all of us she had found her baby. Another sweet thing is watching her read books & do puzzles. She will sit for longer & longer stretches of time (we’re talking almost 10 FULL MINUTES here people!) concentrating on her work. And she started singing, too. I haven’t figured out what she’s trying to sing – maybe Happy Birthday or maybe Twinkle Twinkle Little Star? Anyway, she makes really serious faces and tries to sing like her big sister.

Olivia is curious about EVERYTHING these days. There seems to be no end to the questioning, especially in the van. Where are we going? What are we going to do there? Who else is coming? Where does that road go? Why can’t we go there? What are they making over there? Who is that man? What is he doing? It’s great to see her healthy sense of curiosity. It can also be exhausting. At that point, I’m grateful for the really sweet Bible Songs CD she got from our friend Lisa! Which, by the way, made her a little star at preschool music class because she already knew all the words to “Praise, Him, Praise Him all you little children, God is love, God is love!” and “I’ve got that joy, joy, joy, joy, down in my heart . . .” It’s been really fun to teach her the sweet children’s songs that I knew & loved. Makes me want to learn guitar so the girls & I can have our own little choir!

we had a pretty big Easter so we were eating leftovers all of last week. We are working on an Easter post that will give all the details (one of the benefits of being Catholic – Easter is a 50-day season!). We had our favorite ribs tonight & I’ve been craving a good hamburger so we’ll have those tomorrow. I need to take a meal to a family that had a baby a couple weeks ago and I ALWAYS take cranberry chicken because it is super easy to make two batches and always a big hit! How can it not be when it has 1 cup of Dorothy Lynch? I’m also planning to make my first batch of homemade biter biscuits for Violet this week. I could use something for her to gnaw on that takes some time. She hoovers those puffs!

“play clothes” (aka around the house clothes) – Columbia khakis, an old green tshirt & crocs.

several things are underway, but somehow nothing seems to get finished. Today we finally got some of Olivia’s artwork into envelopes to mail to her grandparents. I’ll drop those in the mail tomorrow (using my drive-thru post office – yeah, I know you’re jealous!) and will at least be able to cross one thing off my list. Too bad I added a dozen more last night!

getting in the 5 basic things I must do to be a healthy person in order that I might serve my family better – pray, shower, eat, exercise, & sleep.

I am definitely better in every area, but still finessing things to get it all into a more natural routine.

not a whole lot these days.

that all goes well for JR’s cousin Jane & her family. She & her husband went to Uganda today to pursue the adoption of 3 & 6 year-old orphan brothers. They will join 4 & 2 year old brothers at home. May God bless all of them with the best transition possible, a safe journey & a most happy homecoming!

the clicking of JR writing a post on the laptop & a UFC fight he’s watching in the background.

I am still working on creating order through daily & weekly routines.

Dishes (empty dishwasher & wash dishes by hand)

Eat (plan meals for the day)

Wash (get the laundry going)

Set the dishwasher to run overnight.

Set out stuff for tomorrow.

Straighten up.

And I will add only checking email & blogs in the morning & evening as part of the new routine. I’ve allowed myself to feel connected to the world by checking for new emails or blog posts throughout the day, but I’ve read enough now to think there is something to the idea that if you allow yourself to be interrupted by email & blogs all day long, you will be less productive at processing email & blogs (let alone less productive at the rest of your tasks!). More thoughts on creating order are coming in a series of posts about my first few years as a full-time homemaker.

Livy has preschool Tuesday & Thursday – only 5 weeks ’til summer break, better try to be productive! Thursday is Western Day so I am feeling the pressure for Olivia to be the most prepared in her class – afterall, she is the daughter of two farm kids! We may go to the park with a friend Wednesday morning – this is prime park weather in these parts (tomorrow will be 90)! I have my group session with my personal trainer Wednesday evening & 5K training Saturday morning. I’m looking forward to going out with some girlfriends Thursday night. Friday is my baby brother’s 20th birthday! Shocking!! Saturday we’re having friends to dinner.

Olivia & her classmate, Ethan after their performance at the Church Festival. Both Molly & Olivia enjoyed two pony rides after the performance. And, of course, my memory card was full! I managed to delete enough photos to get some shots of their second ride, but their smiles were not nearly as bright as the first time around!