Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Tuesday Twelve

1) A couple of weeks ago I got online and looked up 'women's Bible study + childcare + Fort Worth'. I found a church just down the road that has a Bible study Tuesday mornings, with childcare. It began last week, but I had sick kiddos. This morning we were slow getting around, and even though I was a week behind and we were half an hour late, I loaded up the kids and took them. I'm so glad I did...

2) For the last few weeks when I have gotten my middle son out of bed he has told me his big toes hurt. I've looked at them, kissed them, clipped his toenails. Finally I realized he's outgrown his pajamas, the footies are too small. What kind of mommy am I?!

3) I made homemade chicken noodle soup for the first time this weekend, yep, the first time. My husband asked me if the recipe really was supposed to take all day to make. I don't know if it was me or the recipe! Regardless, it was good...

4) My daughter has a pair of shoes that don't quite fit. She keeps telling me, "These make my hips hurt, Momma." (Ha! That would be her heals!!)

5) We bought the kids some toy cleaning items, a broom & dust pan, mop & bucket and a dust mop. My daughter told me I no longer have to clean. She and her brother will clean and I can take a nap. If only it was so!!

6) I found some new bread at Wal-Mart, Sara Lee 45 Calories and Delightful. Seriously, that's the name! It.is.delightful. I'm sad though; I mistakenly thought it was whole wheat. It is not.

7) My daughter just started fastening herself into her car seat...thank you, Jesus!! I still have to help her unfasten it, but she's doing great getting herself fastened. How did she get so big?!

8) I backed into my husband's truck. He was parked behind me, me in the garage, him directly outside the garage. Seriously, how does a person miss a super-size, maroon, Toyota Tundra?! Ugh...

9) Naptime ritual with my middle son...he tells me, "I not get out of bed." I ask, "What are you going to do when you wake up?" He says, "I call you guys." At night, similar exchange...he says, "I cry for you." I tell him, "Don't cry for me." And he asks, "You come get me?" I tell him, "Absolutely, I'll come get you." How I love him...

10) After reading our Bible tonight I put my middle child into his crib and came back to my daughter's room to tuck her into her bed. She, her dad and the baby were all waiting. We played with the baby for a few minutes, resulting in much laughter. I eventually sent the baby with his dad for a bath, sang a song to my daughter and as I left her room heard my middle son calling me. He was still awake and so sad. He'd heard us all 'yucking it up' and asked, "I come with you guys?" I felt so bad. I took him to talk with baby as he prepared for his bath, tried to recreate some of the frivolity, but to no avail. Poor little guy.

11) I'm going to the Fort Worth Home and Garden show this weekend...hope I come home with some ideas!

12) A lawn crew stopped at our place today to see if they could rake the leaves in our front yard. We have an oak tree whose branches are bigger than our house, not kidding...GORGEOUS!! But, it does drop a lot of leaves. A.lot.of.leaves. Guess the kids and I'll try to get out tomorrow and rake some of them.

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Tuesday Twelve, on Wednesday

1) My middle son has started taking naps in his "car" bed, a twin bed with car sheets. He's totally ready for it...I am not.

2) We have little ones in bed with us every night, and I like it that way...I feel guilty about loving toasty, soft, squirmy little bodies pressed up next to me, sharing my pillow and my space, like I'm much too submissive as a mommy. Is there something wrong with me?!

3) I cooked with kale last week, love, love, loved it...this week, I branched out and tried beets. Um, delicious, and oh so pretty. I missed the opportunity to use the greens as well, but plan to next time. Wish I had space for a garden!

4) I haven't gotten to work on my mantle yet, but did make two scarves from jersey knit, matching scarves for a sweet friend of mine and her daughter. They're adorable, if I do say so myself.

5) My littlest has been sick for weeks, finally took him to the doctor and he has severe bronchitis, an ear infection, and a wheeze. Bless his heart, what kind of mommy does he have? He is the best baby, in the midst of spraying saline up his sweet nose, suctioning out buggies, giving him medicine, pounding on his back and lathering him with Vicks, he always has a smile. Wish his mommy was as good natured...

6) Oh.my.word, my house looks as though a tornado has struck. I.am.not.kidding!

7) I think my littlest is hungry. He was just trying to suck on my chin. He's almost ready to begin trying solid food. He watches every move we make while we're eating. I dread the thought! Do they all have to keep growing up so fast?!

8) I want to begin reading books without pictures again, having adult conversations, using words with more than 2 syllables. My pediatrician quoted Plato and I thought to myself, "Plato, I think I've heard of Plato, but what in the world is this guy talking about?" He had to explain the quote to me, and while it sounded good, I'm still not sure I completely understood it. Will my mommy brain ever function properly again?!

9) My phone line/data line went out for a day and a half...it was a blessed inconvenience.

10) Thinking about the people of Haiti today. Is God pleased with our response to the people of that tiny country? Not the people of the U.S., but the people in my immediate family. Have we prayed faithfully, given sacrificially, served selflessly? What has our role been? What is it to be?

11) Every time I hear stories of adoption I want to adopt. Every.single.time.

12) I want to do something new before I turn 40. I have just over a year. Compete in a sprint triathlon? Go to New York? Dye my hair blond? Get a tatoo?? Nah, just kidding about that last one!

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Tuesday Twelve

1) I just turned on a television show about Detroit, brought back some fun memories. My husband and I visited Detroit our first year of marriage. Believe it or not, several of the best museums I've ever been to were either in Detroit or right outside the city. Additionally, Detroit has a great tram that circles downtown. We loved the "tour", circled around several times. That same year Charles went to Connecticut and initially I complained about missing out on Connect - I - cut and going to Detroit instead. You know what, I'm glad I got to go to Motor City.

2) My middle son is the hardest working thing I ever have seen. He reminds me so much of his daddy...if I get the vacuum cleaner out he runs to get his as well. Together, we vacuum. He is meticulous, moves the furniture he can move, vacuums behind doors. I'm telling you, he's going to make his future wife a happy woman!

3) My mantel is bare. I'm planning to use some fabulous fabric I bought last year, some pitchers I will paint white and some cool stick thingies I have to decorate it with. My friend got a Compound Miter Saw and air compressor for Christmas she's planning to use to decorate at her place. She's much more ambitious than I am. I don't even know what a Compound Miter Saw is. I am planning to use my husband's staple gun. That's pretty wild and crazy for me. I'm going to staple that fabulous fabric I got to a frame, wha-la, instant art. Maybe I'll post a picture when I'm done.

4) Dad goes in Thursday for the results from his biopsy. We're ready to know what is next...

5) We're battling food issues at our place. I've always been a bit prideful about how well my kiddos eat, serves me right. I am determined to stand firm; trouble is, so are they.

6) I tried to make a pot of pinto beans today, pinto beans from the pinto bean capitol of the world, Dove Creek, CO. They are mushy and flavorless. I'm pretty sure it's the cook, not the beans, and I am sad. Guess I'll try again. Maybe I'll add bacon next time. As a culinary side note, I did make some pretty tasty soup tonight using chicken sausage and kale. Who knew kale had such incredible flavor?!

7) I want to open my home more this year, to my sweet neighbors, to other mommies, to some young couples we know from my husband's job. We bought our house because it was perfect for entertaining. This is the year...

8) Every time I see the new Weight Watchers commercial I tell myself I absolutely have to get serious about losing some weight. I weigh 45 lbs more than I did 10 years ago...wish I looked like Jennifer Hudson.

9) We drove around and looked at Christmas lights over the holidays. After seeing home after home with no nativity, no evidence of the Babe in a manger, my daughter said, "I guess all these people don't know Christmas is Jesus' birthday." Pretty profound, if you ask me.

10) My sister passed on a book on potty training, her youngest is 6. It's a bit more descriptive than I'd probably have chosen, but my middle son has asked to have it read to him twice in the last two days. I think he's probably ready to begin the potty training adventure whenever I am. Wonder when I'll be ready.

11) It feels like it should be Thursday...

12) I miss my best friend. It's been way too long since I've seen her. She's not met either one of my sons. Yep, way, way too long.