A Princess Mindset

I am not quite sure why my generation chooses to raise their little girls like princesses. In my humble opinion, it is merely setting her up for failure. The truth is, as an adult, nothing stops for her. The chores won't stop when she is sick or it is her birthday, no one comes out of the woodwork and makes her life perfect and solves all her problems. Sometimes she has to do hard things as a grown woman. Sometimes she will be let down. Sometimes the housework and children are overwhelming and the work is heavy and dirty and tiresome. Sometimes, she doesn't quite feel like Cinderella during the ball. Maybe, she just stays Cinderella before and merely gets occasional glimpses of what the royal ball must have been like. I believe as a mother, it is my job to teach my girls hard work is the norm, but to also prepare them for the every-once-in-a-while chance of a ball and the importance- nay, fundamental need - to enjoy it while it lasts, because her chariot will surely turn back into a pumpkin... in this life anyway, until Glory.

Over the Fence and Exempt.

What a great weekend to be out with the kids! My wife had breakfast with a friend Saturday morning, so I took the first part of the day to rake leaves. Most people rake in the fall - I had just as good success gathering them from the fence line in the spring. The highlight of the whole experience was getting such good help from our little middle. She stuck hard with me for two hours, I learned hard work from my parents - I don't know where she's picking it up ;-). I hate raking leaves, only a few months till they start falling again.

I threw the Frisbee into the crazy neighbor's lawn though. The oldest one is apparently much less scared of dogs and women who scream at dogs than I am - so she was brave and asked while I kept an eye on her from across the alley.

I've had an interesting couple of weeks, a couple friends have approached me with interest in social marketing. I'm flattered that people want me on their team, but I have to point out that I had trouble giving away free cups of water at the homeschool book fair and I've never sold anybody anything. I couldn't even sell hot chocolate to an Eskimo. I love my predictable, everyday routine at work - starting to think it might be the best thing for me now. And being a math major, I've done the math on how much one can make in MLMs. I love all of you who work so hard on this stuff, I buy your products whenever expedient - but I'm out.

On the other hand, I've been dreaming up an idea - if you're interested in being exempted from social marketing, pay me twenty bucks and then recruit five other friends and...

Container Gardening

We were out today when "This One" announced from the backseat that she'd like to try a tomato plant this year. I have been seeing lots of gardening posts from my friends on my favorite social network site. I have been a bit jealous because I have had so much going on lately that I felt lke this was not my year to try to tackle a garden. Her idea of a plant in a pot, though, sounded very easy to me. Of course, her suggestion was great and the little kids wanted to do one, too! So, we turned the van around and headed straight for the Walmart Garden center where we each picked out a plant (minus myself - I am the irrigation supervisor).

Potting is good, dirty fun for a 2 year old boy!

I helped the "Other One" pick a canteloupe. I have no idea how a canteloupe will do in a container... (or any of them, frankly)

"That One" picked a strawberry. It looks good, too!

She is always good for a pose. :-)

And here is the idea starter - a cherry tomato plant! Her favorite!

I am not going to get emotionally involved like I did 3 years ago when my sweet little summer squash plants that I lovingly raised from seed failed to produce fruit! I won't! I won't!

Oh yeah, and as not to miss out on the fun, Daddy wanted a jalapeno plant. Ta-Da!

One of those days

Have you ever had one of those days where you are afraid to go outside after so many things have already gone wrong? Has it included any of the following:

*Made to feel a fool from someone who is older than you and might look down to you because you look young

*In all your clumsiness accidentally drop something and hurt someone causing bleeding

*Get your hopes up for something you wanted to find out so badly that you are completely crushed when you can't know

*Have someone dear to you not have any pity for you during your pity party

*Almost get run over on the road a few times

*Feel blah and unstable


I sure hope not! It's no fun. Thankfully,

Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23

Here is a verse that has jumped out at me several times this week. :-)

In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words;
Romans 8:26

Here is to a better day tomorrow!

Go ahead, you can sing it to yourself.

Some things on my mind today:

-How lucky and blessed by the Lord I am to have been entrusted the things I have been entrusted with - my children & husband, my home, nice things, finances, friends, health...

-I'd like to put the girls in a short term extracurricular class. Up until now it hasn't worked out for one reason or another.

-How things will be so very different later this summer and the effort I will definitely be making to have quality family time - if I am not already doing so.

-How I look forward to focusing on just my kids for a few weeks this fall.

-Nice things to do with the house in the future.

-potty training.

-How quickly the kids are growing.

...the Cover Up.

Me and My Husband at Lake Joe Pool playing for the day

I've got lots of posts swirling around in my head. My best option for now is to take the add-some-pictures-and-elaborate method. Maybe I will be better at writing down my thoughts one of these days so I remember them once I sit down to the computer.

This is the front yard at Penn Farm, a historical farm that was established in the 1850's.
My son liked the tractor.

This One posing in front of an old barn. She has been growing so much. Just last night I heard her reading a chapter book from her top bunk to That One in the bottom bunk. It was really sweet considering they can't stand each other! It encourages me that I can possibly make it having 4 children and not end up like Darla Routier.

That One has had this bike for a year or two. She gave up on it a long time ago. Recently, she has been asking to pull it out and ride it. She is getting pretty fierce about her ability to do it. She went up some pretty difficult hills at the state park! To top it, off she is officially reading now! She has taken just a bit longer but it makes me that much more proud of her.

While the others were fishing, me and The Other One decided to walk by the water and throw rocks in. There has always been something about water that leaves me breathless (no pun intended). It has drawn me near since I can remember. When I was younger, I used to believe it was because my sign, Aries - which is a fire sign- had something to do with my attraction to water to "cool" me off. Of course, that kind of stuff is not true. I think I just like water, just like some people think snow is refreshing. Blech, snow. *shudder* Okay, moving on...

The Other One sure nows how to make fishing stressful. I got so many glares from the other people fishing. He was being so busy. This One constantly was telling him to stop messing with her line.

That One makes going fishing cute. :-)

Enjoying the nice weather.

So, this picture doesn't quite belong. See that shirt she is wearing? It's not really a shirt. It is a swimsuit cover-up. What? You didn't now they made swimsuit cover-ups that don't cover your bottom? Well, that's because they don't. It is an infants cover-up that is a size18 months. Yep, she got that for her first birthday from my aunt, I believe. It fits her perfectly still. She wears it as a shirt and no one can ever tell me that we are wasteful and frivelous - ever. Okay? We use everything we have in more creative ways than you can imagine. I am pretty sure that is the only way we've survived the last 6 years of marriage and family life!

I am taking a social media hiatus for now so feel free to call or text me!

364 days ago...

....Is a day to reminisce and remember how truly blessed we are to own our first home. We waited for a long time for it to happen and it was at times, an elusive goal we never thought we'd reach.

Not long after we moved in, we celebrated a lovely Easter, 2 children's birthdays, a college graduation and a pre-teens birthday. Soon to follow was our first season of holidays: we hosted Thanksgiving, several Christmas get-togethers, New Years.... It has snowed 3 separate times since we have owned this home.
We received this ginormous bottle of bubbly from the realtor at closing. For whatever reason, we did not drink it. (Though I was tempted to bust it open on this day when this wonderful group of ladies came to help clean - it was a bummer they had to drive home..)
...Instead of sharing it with the people who did this and would have to drive home...
... We decided that we would drink it on our first anniversary as home owners. I guess that sounds strange to you. But, for any of you that had cake on your wedding and saved the top tier for your anniversary- this is kinda the same to us.
Now, given the current circumstances, I will not be drinking this on my first anniversary. Here are a few occasions we may decide to have it instead in the coming year:
A teaching job, a baby born, a new car, a camper purchase. Now, I am not hoping for all of these things (although, I wouldn't turn them down, haha). But I promise, when I am not in my current state, I will be enjoying this with my husband. We have waited a long time.

Until then
*raises and orange juice glass*
CHEERS!

(Disclaimer: pretty much the entire inside of our house looks different now, thanks to my husband's handy-ness over the last year)