True Confessions

I've always told Luke, "I've never mowed a lawn, and I plan to keep it that way!" I pretty much say that every time we pass a woman mowing her lawn. But we got to thinking, and realized that there are a few more things in my life that I have never done, and most likely will never do.

I have never, ever....(drum roll please)

~changed a flat tire

~changed the oil in any car

~plunged a toilet (at least I don't have any recollection of it, and if I ever did, I'm sure I had to call in back-up)

~bleached or highlighted my hair

~picked up a hitch-hiker 

~washed a car (okay, I have done it once, but that was enough for me)

~kept an indoor plant alive...

~played a lame game on Facebook (which includes all of them)

~played a piano piece absolutely perfectly

~run more than a mile at a time

~made a box cake mix (here again, I did it once...but I learned my lesson)

~gone more than a week without a Dr. Pepper..just keepin' it real, people

~drunk 8 glasses of water in one day

~made tuna casserole

~owned a hamster or gerbil

~kissed another boy besides Luke

~officially stayed on water skis for more than 5 seconds at a time

~owned snow boots, or worn a pair, for that matter

~gotten a tattoo
~made stuffing (the kind you put in a turkey), or enjoyed eating it, for that matter
~worn stilettos
~eaten a whole bite of a raw mushroom (and if I have, I've totally gagged)
~eaten at Jack in the Box
~drunk an entire diet soda (I've tried, people, I've tried)

And the list goes on...I wonder what things you have never done, or will never do?

Learning to like cooked mushrooms has been a work in progress; Luke loves them--
hence, he's the one who cooked these mushrooms, and I ate them...and they were good.

It's the Little Things

Landis likes to line things up...cars, neatly unfolded tissues, paper coffee cups, etc. And when I open the door and discover a little line of somethings, my heart usually skips a beat. It's just one of those priceless things about being a mom -- the little evidences of busy little people, all over the house. 

Sadly, sometimes I get gripey on the inside instead of delighted. You know, that feeling of "man, could this house get any messier, with all these things lying about!" 

But lately I'm grateful for these moments--

~the repeated hugs and kisses at night after I've already hugged and kissed my neck out...

~the "Mom, come watch me," every time some amazing gymnastics move is done on the mat in the front room (which by the way, might be the most awesome thing we own); 

~Landis pushing his little stool over to the counter to help me, and having to come up with any ol' job for him to do to satisfy his "helping" button...

~the delighted cheers every time the tall tower of wooden shape blocks falls to the floor (even though my eardrums almost rupture every time)

~not to sound cliche', but the pitter patter of bare feet is still so sweet

~the arms-around-the-neck squeeze hug when I pick up my sleepy-eyed boy

I'm daily reminded that these sweet moments won't last forever, and before you know it this house full of toys will be quiet and empty...so savoring all these things is really the only thing we can do, right?

Don't Give Up!

Putting forth the effort of reaching out to people who don't want to be reached out to can be disheartening. The temptation can definitely be to give up. Believe me, I'm faced with this daily. Our next door neighbor is one of those very people. She was friendly enough when we first moved in, but somewhere along the way, she decided never talk to any of her neighbors again, much less look at them or wave hello.

My poor children don't understand why she won't say "hello" in return. I can't quite understand it either. I tell them that she is rejecting our love for her. Over the Christmas season, we baked and delivered goodies to all of our neighbors. Her door was the last door we knocked on, and I warned the children that she probably wouldn't answer. But we tried anyway, and then layed our card and package down on the front chair, saying loudly, "Merry Christmas. We are leaving you a treat!" I also warned them that she might return the gift (as she has done before), and sure enough, the next day the loaf of coffee cake and card were on our front porch.

Needless to say, I've wanted to give up multiple times, thinking, "Well, we tried, and it's her choice to reject our love. We're done." But for the simple fact that Jesus would never do that. The Bible tells us to "not lose heart in well-doing," and "to run the race with endurance," and to "love your neighbor as yourself," not to mention, "love your enemies." Maybe an even closer example is the way we reject Jesus's love for us before He saves us.

So, if you (as I am) are growing weary of doing good, don't. Our reward hardly ever is seen this side of heaven, and who knows what good might come from our perseverance, right? I can only hope that someday our dear little sad neighbor will come to the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. And I'd hate to look back and know that I had given up on her.

maybe peeking on our neighbors isn't the best way to win them...
just kidding...this isn't our neighbor, it's someone else's! and there was
a bouncy house on the other side, people! 

*as a side note, but certainly important--my "doing good" to my neighbor means nothing and will count for nothing, apart from the grace of the Lord and his salvation. The Bible clearly teaches that none of us can "do good," so in no way am I proclaiming a works-based salvation. This desire to love and do good to others is merely a fruit, a result, of God's saving and changing work on our hearts. But it takes a concerted effort, to say the least!

More Thoughts on Parenting

God's Word is refreshing, enlightening, wholesome, encouraging, full of hope, life-giving, gentle (and harsh at the same time), convicting, and so much more. When I sit down to read the Word and my heart is set on learning something, God always teaches me. Sometimes it's sweet and perfect for a trial I'm going through; sometimes it's challenging but encouraging at the same time; sometimes it's eye-opening and convicting, probing change in my life; and sometimes it's pure joy and refreshment, like a cool glass of water on a sunny Texas day. So, it's beautiful with its variety and depth and breadth; and even more so for the way it leads us to Christ and to marvel at His beauty. And if God's Word is this way, how much more is God Himself this way?

So imagine all of the above, and think about what happens when your children speak to you, approach you, at any time of the day, for whatever reason, in any sort of attitude (fussy, sweet, argumentative, tearful, etc.). Imagine that they need you, or that they don't need you, or that they should need you, or that they don't want to need you. Imagine that they've really messed up somehow, and consequences will surely follow. How does your response compare to the way God responds to us?

I was struck by these thoughts recently when I realized that sometimes I make it much harder on my children than God does on me. I think about how I read Scripture and am convicted about a personal sin, and how comforting and encouraging God's Word is to me. He calls for repentance, yet gives me such hope in the process that I feel invigorated to make changes and turn from my sins (and this scenario has to happen again, and again, and again, and often for the very same sin!)

But could my children say the same thing about me? Do I give them hope in the process? Is dealing with sin and its consequences worse with me than it would be with God? Does my tone and attitude line up with how God's Word treats me?

Often I fall short. I want my children to find comfort and hope in the living God. I want them to know that He hates sin and demands repentance and change. But I want them to know that we should never be afraid when approaching God, because He is quick to forgive and give us the tools to change.

And I want them to feel the same way about me.

Thoughts on Parenting

Having children is a blessing. Children are a blessing. Children are delightful, and wonderful, and sweet and amazing little people, and I love them.

But can we be honest with each other and say that along with all this blessing and delight comes a sin nature? And I'm not just talking about our children's sin nature. I'm talking about mine! Having children has certainly opened my eyes to realize what sins in my life are way worse than I ever thought before. For example, before I had children, I never would have claimed to anyone that I had a short temper. Well, that's because no one ever tested me on it! Now, I'm tested on it pretty much every day, all day long! And let me just tell you, I have a short temper (but by the grace of God, I'm working on it!).

All this to say, when I am parenting, sometimes it's super easy for me to focus on all the weaknesses of my little ones--their bad habits and rude behavior, for example--when sometimes I just need to take a closer look at myself and my own sin, and work from there. I mean, wouldn't you agree that it's easier to point out other people's flaws than to really and truly look at your own? Well, it is for me.

So, this has been the challenge for me lately--having less of a critical eye on my children, and more of a critical eye on myself. Making sure that I'm honoring the Lord with my thoughts and reactions, and dealing with them when I'm not. When I find myself nitpicking my children, I find myself ignoring my own sins that need desperate help from the Lord. And then I'm just misusing the authority God has given me.

A year and a half ago, Luke got me a new bike. I helped him pick it out, a cute bright red bike with a blue and white floral seat. And it came just in time for my birthday. So I rode it for the first time in front of the family and Luke's sister Rachel and her now husband Brett. I was a bit embarrassed riding in front of everyone for the first time in probably over fifteen years, but it was fun!

Of course, when I got off and we were chatting, my dear Rachel and Brett sort of casually mentioned to me about the picture on the side of my bike, and they were chuckling. I looked down and literally was aghast. Meaning, I was like, "Oh my goodness, I never noticed that, I can't ride my bike ever again that way! What am I going to do?"

So let me just show you what was on my bike....

Notice anything? Anything at all?

Fortunately, just this past weekend, my brother in law came to town, armed with a solution. He figured out that he could remove these panels and all would be well. But I did come up with a few other solutions after the fact. 

What do you think?

Or....

just a thought...

Polly the Hunter

this post is dedicated to Mercy, who really enjoys talking about pets...love you Mercy...

Polly, watching Baby Einstein with Landis.
We pride ourselves on having smart pets....

The other night, after staying up rather late not wanting to go to bed without my husband (who was out of town), I finally retired for the night (does anyone ever actually say that anymore?) and went to the bathroom to brush my teeth. Casually, I opened the cabinet door, only to discover I wasn't the only one retiring for the night. Lo and behold (I actually do talk that way), there was a huge, ugly cockroach apparently already brushing his teeth with my toothbrush!

In any normal circumstance I would have jumped up and down and screamed for Luke, who would have come to my rescue and killed that nasty thing. But, if you will remember, he wasn't there. Hence, I shakily tried to smoosh that thing with one of the hairspray bottles, only it slithered out all creepy like. So I slammed the door, screeched, jumped up and down, and grabbed my purring, innocent, fluffy kitten. She's an amazing little bug hunter, I tell you, so this was a job for her.

Stealthily, I opened the cabinet door, and threw in the kitty. Yep, some might think that was mean. But what's the good of having a kitten if you can't use her in time of need? At first, she fell out. But not without a glimpse of that sucker, and seriously, she jumped straight up and back in (like 3 1/2 feet up), and promptly returned with the fatso hanging out of her mouth. Holding her head up high, she jumped down and pranced out. Seriously. She did.

And I shut the door and washed my hands. Oh, and I threw my toothbrush away and got a new one.

Moral of the story: Obviously....always have a back-up toothbrush.  And maybe spray your house for bugs, especially during a drought. 

Wisdom, in all it's ugliness...

No, of course wisdom, the wisdom from Above, is not ugly. In fact, it's quite lovely; it is "first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy." (James 3:17) When was the last time you thought of wisdom like that?

The ugliness I'm referring to is all the drama I go through to get this lovely kind of wisdom. For me, at this very moment, my cup overfloweth...Let me explain. I can't seem to make a single decision right now without cringing and doubting and wavering. I have soooo many decisions to make, some of them big, and some of them small. Umm, hello, I'm a mom; so I'm sure maaaaany of you know can relate.

For example:
"Mommy what's for breakfast?" (uh, I don't know yet, oh know, it's starting!)
"What are we doing today, can we go swimming?"
"Are we having swim lessons this summer?"
"Are we staying at this gym or going to another one?"
"Can we please go play in the front?"
"Can I have some gum or candy?"
"May I play on the computer? or the phone? or watch a movie, or turn on a cd?"
"Can I play in the water area at the zoo?"
"Have you chosen the lights yet for the kitchen? or the knobs?"
"Do you want that shelf here or here? or not at all?"
"Did you chose a paint color?"
"Are we homeschooling next year?"

Okay, perhaps you get the idea. I can only handle so much! Just the other day at the pool, when the kids asked, "Can we get in now?" I furrowed my brow and said, "Ask your dad, I can't make another decision today!"

Maybe I should just say "yes" to everything my kids ask, or "no" for that matter, and simplify. Or maybe I should be better about scheduling our meals so they are predictable and all I have to do is look at the list (hey wait a minute, who am I kidding, our refrigerator is in the living room right now!) Or maybe I should not be so picky about the silly light fixtures!

Or maybe, just maybe, God has answers in His word to all, even all, of my tiniest worries. And that's why I'm thrilled to be studying James, hoping to learn wisdom in making even the littlest decision. I mean, why wouldn't I want to makes decisions that are "pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy."

"If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, 

who gives to all liberally and without reproach, 

and it will be given to him." James 1:5

Landis has decisions too..."hmmm, should I go
through this door, or not?"

Wisdom and the sink...

As Mercy and I primped in front of the bathroom mirror this morning, she chuckled, looked down at the countertop and commented, "I was just thinking about all the things that are on the sink right now." I couldn't help but laugh, and then I ran and got the camera. Honestly, it's my new normal so I almost didn't even notice it (and for Mercy to notice it, that's big--love you Mercy.) It really is quite comical--here's a left to right description: an iron with it's long, swirly cord; a towel; cosmetic bag; sunglasses; silly bands; dirty dishes; a cup with paint brushes; jewelry; a curling iron; clean dishes draining; sunscreen; toothbrushes; fingernail polish remover; a scrubber; and a few other things....real life, people. (I did clean it up this afternoon, mind you.)

So we had a good laugh, and internally I delighted in having Mercy home for the summer. We decided (after she suggested) to read through the book of James together--individually in our quiet times, and then we'll discuss what we're learning as we go.  So, I've been trying to give it an overview this week, trying not to stop to study the details yet (although I have a few times, I can't help it).  What amazes me so much is how God led me to this book--because without knowing it at the moment I landed in James, I am in desperate need of wisdom right now (which is precisely the theme of James).

So here's to Mercy, to wisdom, to the summer, and to a new kitchen...

It's an Off Day

Everything about today has seemed off. My alarm didn't go off--at least I don't think it did, but I'm suspicious that I turned it off in a groggy state of unconsciousness. Hence, no Bible reading, early morning sipping of coffee, feeling of preparedness for the pitter patter of feet as they hit the floor running. No, it was me fixing breakfast in my PJ's, or rather, telling Julia how much cereal to pour (cooking breakfast is her new excitement in life). It was me trailing behind Landis and collecting his spilled cheerios, chasing him down with his shoes before he ran outside, confiscating the bug spray that he was sucking on behind my back, and packing up the rest of my utensils into a big box. So today, may I say it again, is an off day.

I'm sure many things have contributed to this, one of the main things being that our kitchen is going "under destruction," tomorrow, as Amaleah likes to call it. So my pantry is in my living room, and don't ask me where everything else is (I'm not sure myself). Of course, I could have gone to bed earlier last night, and therefore may have been alert enough to hear my alarm this morning.

But if I'm true to the truth, mostly I think it was the lack of being in God's Word. Seriously, I have felt myself falling back on my own strength for things today, things like parenting with a gentle and kind spirit. I felt myself literally having to pull those somewhat kind and slightly gently words out of the depths of my soul when I was speaking to one of my children about something this morning. And it dawned on me how much I have grown to depend on the Lord for the details of my life, and how when I abandon His Word I truly can feel it (although, truth be known, He definitely has not abandoned me, whatsoever).

A little devotional for you, from a verse that was mentioned to me by my dear sister in law...

"...walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with 

joy; giving thanks to the Father..."

(Colossians 1: 10-12a)

So...what this means for you and me, simplified:

1) grow in Him (read the Word--don't give up on it)

2) KNOW that you as a believer in Christ are filled with His glorious power (the Holy Spirit!)...awesome.

3) that power is strong enough to give you patience (to face the circumstances) and longsuffering (with people) and joy (through it all).

4) Be thankful....period.

Coffee-Muffy, and a Recipe

Lately, I've been having extra trouble trying to cram all my glasses and coffee cups into my one tiny cabinet. I keep thinking, "I need to eliminate. I must purge!" But then I look at all of my favorite little cups and I just can't seem to part; they each have such sweet little memories.

There's the one little thrift shop find that Mercy brought home for me last summer when she was living with us, and out of which I drank almost every day; the perfect size, slightly rounded lip, the perfect handle, and pretty to look at. But then there's the tiny little blue floral cup that Abi sent me all the way from London. How can I pass that one up? Oh, and then the vintage set of 2 white mugs with a green flower (now sadly down to one due to a crash) which I picked up at a Salvation Army. And of course, not to be outdone by all of these memories, Naomi bought me a green and blue pedestal type cup from the Goodwill this summer so I wouldn't forget her! And then there's the handmade pottery Luke found at a garage sale in North Carolina and gave me for a Mother's Day several years ago. And there's also the cute little green cup Amaleah caught me admiring and then secretly bought (with Daddy's help) for my Birthday.

It's just so fun to have special coffee cups for the ordinary daily cup of coffee, and especially for the impromptu coffee shared with a drop-in family or friend. My sister in law Kristen calls it "coffee-muffy," which we had this weekend when we were lounging around after a trip to the zoo. I started the coffee, defrosted some frozen pumpkin doughnut muffins, and we all meandered in for a cup shared around the kitchen table.

I used to swear I'd never drink coffee...but now I'm so glad I do!

Pumpkin Doughnut Muffins (from Everyday Food)

for the batter:

10 T. unsalted butter, room temp. (plus more for pan)

3 c. all-purpose flour

2 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. coarse salt

1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp. ground allspice

1/3 c. buttermilk*

1 1/4 cups pumpkin puree'

3/4 c. brown sugar

2 large eggs

*if you don't have buttermilk, just combine about the same amount of milk with 1 tsp. or so of vinegar.

Preheat oven to 350. Butter and flour 12 standard muffin cups. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and allspice. In a small bowl, whisk the buttermilk and pumpkin. With a mixer, beat butter and brown sugar til light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, scraping down bowl as needed. With mixer in low, add flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with two additions pumpkin mixture, and beat to combine. Spoon 1/3 cup batter into each muffin tin and bake until toothpick inserted comes out clean, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine:

3/4 c. sugar

2 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Prepare: 1/4 c. melted butter

Let muffins cool for 10 minutes in pan on wire rack. With one at a time, brush each muffin with melted butter, then roll in cinnamon-sugar and let cool completely on wire rack.

These muffins were delish! And they froze well (to freeze, save the butter and cinnamon-sugar step til after defrosted).

53 Days

It's been 53 days since I've posted a blog...I've tried, mind you, but I think I have "blogger's block." And it gets worse the longer I wait to blog! I've wondered why in the world my usually spilling-over-with-blog-ideas mind has come to a halt. It could be spiritual, because I truly have been pondering over deep issues as of late, like trying to figure out how I can live my life in light of God's Word in a more defined way...what does that look like in my family? with my neighbors? with people I run into from time to time at the pool?

Or it could be that I have a 9 month old boy. Is it too cliche' to say, "Boys will be boys?" Because they will, so I've discovered. He keeps me soooo scatter-brained with his constant games of lost and found (the found part being in his mouth) and his acrobatics (up the stairs! Did I mention he's only 9 months old?). I actually lost my purse in a store yesterday (thankfully some honest person turned it in) and his sippy cup (funny, no one turned that in!), and left the van door completely wide open the whole entire time we were at the pool the other day!

Needless to say, for whatever reason, my mind has been bone dry. But I'm trying to moisten it and get these writing juices going again!

List of things found in his mouth:

~roley-poley

~ random bug

~ piece of glass

~ wood

~ feathers

~ beads

~ bandaid

~ puzzle piece

~ wrapper

~ cotton

~ cat food

and on and on and on....

On the Eve of 30

Tis true, tis true. Here I sit awaiting this supposedly "fateful" day, the day I say good-bye to my 20's, my youth as I know it, and welcome with open arms my 30's, and all they hold for me. I'm not really sad or depressed, it's kind of exciting. But it's weird, I do admit. I just remember being like 15 years younger and thinking that 30 sounded so frumpy and old, and almost so "in between," kind of like your Sophomore year of highschool. And here it is. But, to make this a super joyful and memorable experience, I decided to make a list of the 30 Most Memorable or Influential Moments in my life thus far, in no particular order...

1. May 1, 1999-- getting engaged to Luke, on Newton Ave

2. Sleeping with a bat in my room at my grandparents house in Pennsylvania

3. My wedding day

4. The birth of Amaleah, our first born daughter

5. The birth of Julia, our second born daughter

6. My dad chewing gum down the aisle on my wedding day

7. Getting kicked in the head at my Wedding Reception

8. Luke and I (not married yet) watching the van we borrowed from my parents roll across the street and into a fence...

9. Singing, and playing piano, in St. Marks Cathedral in Venice, Italy

10. Living with an Australian family for a week in Brisbane, Australia

11. Sunday afternoons with my mom, eating M&M's in her bed during nap time

12. Emptying my mom's sock drawer for all the loose change to pay for a lunch date at Teka Molino (our favorite, favorite restaraunt)

13. Big Bend National Park on a highschool trip, sitting with Luke near a ravine late at night and hearing the wild pigs oh so close to us

14. My first kiss, which thankfully was to Luke, now my dear husband

15. Holding hands for the first time, on a hay ride, which also was with Luke, what a blessing!

16. Piano duets with my good friend Candice--good times!

17. Amaleah entering the hospital room to meet Julia, and saying "Where is baby Julia? Can I hold her?"

18. Walks to the Farmers Market in Durham, NC

19. Dates with my Dad to Houlihans for lunch, and shopping, and even bowling

20. Wearing my Gramma's Wedding Dress

21. Running out of gas in Luke's car in highschool, and climbing over the median in a skirt

22. Camping trip with Luke when I was 6 months pregnant with Amaleah

23. Luke in highschool at Big Bend getting up early to boil water for me to wash my hair (and then me deciding I didn't need to do it, it was too cold outside...I'm so mean! He's so wonderful!)

24. Amaleah praying and believing that Jesus saved her from her sins

25. My dear brother Kristian tying me up with a belt and sticking me in a trunk and sitting on it (I love you too)

26. Decorating the Christmas tree with my Dad

27. Playing piano duets with my Grandfather, marches mainly

28. Playing Dukes of Hazard with my cousin Jana in my backyard

29. Flirting with Luke in 9th grade to get him to notice me (Jan. 1, 1994, and it worked, I might add)

30. Getting down on my knees with my brother as he helped me pray to become a Christian, when I was 5

Life has been good, and I look forward to seeing how the Lord works and moves in my life as I push on in this journey. He has always been good, and it's a joy to live life knowing Him!

(In honor of my 30th Birthday, my mom made me a blanket, and I love it!)

Ramblings in the Night

Here I am, at 1:06 in th morning, blogging. Mostly, I'm catching up on all the blogs I never get a chance to read, and somehow tonight it seems appropriate. Mostly, because I'm suffering from heartburn, and I can't even lay in my bed propped up without being miserable, so here I am! I never had this with my girls, just with this boy. Someone once told me that if you have heartburn in pregnancy it means you're going to have a hairy baby...we'll see. Both my girls were fairly bald, so I guess potentially I might have a boy who takes after me (I was born with mounds of black hair...and my mom indeed had heartburn...) So anyway, what ramblings can I come up with at such a late hour? Hmmm....

I think I'll ponder motherhood. The past few days have been especially delightful as I have watched my little girls decide they want to be more involved in chores and are looking forward to it! I knew if I waited to push it, they'd come around...no, not really, it actually quite surprises me as I've been wondering if we should pull out the chore chart and the allowance again. But nonetheless, Amaleah led the bathroom cleaning party yesterday, and Julia almost single-handedly folded all my clothes tonight while Amaleah voluntarily practiced the piano and begged for lessons again. Could it be that my little girls are nesting as well? Hmmm, that's a thought.

But apart from them doing work around the house, I've enjoyed their little personalities, and just their presence at home. It's good to just be at home, and hear the sounds they make, even the particularly irritating ones (like the fights). Motherhood indeed is a blessing, and this is my life. My full time job. There was a time, not long ago I hate to admit, where I wanted to tell strangers who asked "what do you do?" something other than "stay at home mom" as an answer. But I realized that this full time job of mine is a job I love, my husband loves, my kids love, and God loves. I'm doing my job, the job He's called me to, and it is good. Hard? yes, absolutely. Pretty much never easy. But that's okay, because God always gives me the strength I need to get through. Even in the very moment I need it and ask...

So the other day when Julia yelled from upstairs a few times, "Mommy, I need you," I was thankful I was needed, even if it was to wipe up the poop that had somehow gotten smushed all over her leg and the floor. Sigh. I'm thankful.

( not the most flattering of pictures for any of us, but a true picture of reality!)

Thankful for Spring

This might be one of the sillier reasons to be thankful for Spring, but it's true: No more huge laundry baskets of socks to fold! Flip-flops are back, and this is one thankful Momma. How do you moms do it with tons of children? I heard one mother of six say she used the "sock box" method: once kids are all in "about" the same size sock, everyone wears the same exact socks, so come laundry day, all the clean socks are tossed in the box, and when someone needs socks, he goes diving for two socks, and that's that...We're still in the different size stage, so for now we'll stick to flip-flops!

The Pictures in My Wallet

I don't have the kind of wallet that has photo inserts, and I realized the other day the only picture in my wallet is one of Amaleah at 3 months old...hmmm. So these are the new additions. Why these, you ask? They're the only tiny ones I had. Why aren't they smiling, you ask? I told them not to. Passport pictures, you know. We're headed to Spain in May. So my girls have passports now (Umm, I was 17 when I got my first passport, boy are times changing. ) So maybe I should work on some more smiley-faced pictures for my wallet, I don't know. At least I didn't put in the next one...

New Year's Resolutions

So I thought I'd share my New Year's Resolutions with you all...maybe it will keep me more accountable...here's the list:

~Wake up every morning at 5:30 am and work out
~Use hot oil treatments on my hair regularly
~Drink 8 glasses of water a day, with squeezed lemon for cleansing
~Apply anti-wrinkle cream two times a day, no exceptions (I'm pushing 30)
~Cook only wholesome meals, no frozen foods whatsoever
~Avoid fast food, even if kids have to wait another 2 hours for lunch (it's healthier)
~Never scold my children, never, never
~Massage Luke's shoulders and feet every night
~Mop the floor 3-5 times a day (for germ's sake)
~Put photos in albums as soon as they arrive home from Wolf Camera
~Use every opportunity in life as a teaching moment for my children
~If I wake up in the night, take it as a cue to pray for 1 hour
~Practice the piano for 2 hours a day
~Clean out my kitchen sink twice a day
~Clean and organize the garage
~Clean the windows once a week

So, what do you think? Totally do-able...
Not!--so here's the real list:

*Play with my children more
*Drink only one Dr. Pepper a week (really really hard for me)
*Keep a prayer journal

This year's motto: Keep it Simple!

Pumpkin on the Brain

My husband has really good taste. Not only does he have great taste in vintage ties, as some of you may have picked up on, or in diaper bags, or in shoes, or in restaurants, or in little girl clothes, etc. He also has really great taste in pumpkins. Yep, that's right. I've had my eye on Cinderella Pumpkins, as I like to call them, for several years now, but haven't felt like spending $10.00 on one, until this year. So, on a night when I needed some time to myself after a long day with the kids, my husband sent me off to the new JoAnn Fabrics (which is conveniently located almost in my back yard). He then took my kids to Central Market for dessert, and they all picked out this great pumpkin for Mommy, which warmly welcomed me home. I love it! I am going to be so sad when it starts stinking and rotting. How can I immortalize this pumpkin? I guess by dedicating this blog to it.

I love the Fall. I love the streams of butterflies flying south, the crisp mornings, the root vegetables, wearing my favorite sweaters, taking walks again (which is almost impossible in Texas in the summer), soups and foccacia bread, and snuggling (without sweating) with my husband. But I guess maybe my favorite part this year is my pumpkin.