Going Up?

You know these kids have seen Elf (the movie) when they go up the escalator like this. Every. Time.

More Christmas Projects

I was inspired to make some christmas pillowcases for the kids. Though its funny how the end product looks nothing at all like my original inspiration. But I'm perfectly pleased none the less!

It was my hope to make these simple, cozy, flannel, pillowcases so the kids could enjoy them each year during the Christmas season. Maybe add to their excitement when the Christmas things are brought out each year, as well as childhood memories of Christmases growing up. But maybe I'm putting too much pressure on it?

Well, they were easy enough to whip up. And two out of three of the kids LOVE their new pillowcases. Two out of three....not too bad.

The Stockings Were Hung By The Chimney With Care

Finally, after 16 Christmases together, we have stockings!!!! And I'm so very pleased.

I bought the stockings last year, actually. But I didn't use them because I was waiting to finish them with our names and time ran out. This year, however, I'm on top of it! I searched all over town and cyber world for iron letters. All I found were either glittery or something that belongs on a lettermans jacket. So I made my own. But because I had to make my own, which involves lots of precise cutting, I only made an initial for each person. Again, I'm very pleased with the outcome!

Now I have to fill them!

One Month

Well, it's been a month since we pulled away from our southern California home and began a new life in the Bay Area.

One month.  Wow!  Such a short amount of time, and yet, a lot has happened.

This is how the first part of September looked

The moving truck showed up on a Tuesday and left with all our stuff on Wednesday.  Then we didn't see it again until the following Monday.  Since then I've seen a lot of this

Boxes.  Boxes and packing paper.  It's been my life for a few weeks.  But I've worked hard and the house is mostly put together and organized.  Except for a few boxes of stuff (I affectionately call 'crap') that I don't know where it should go.  Which really just means that I need to go through it and weed out things I don't need anymore, or things I should let go of.  I keep telling myself 'this week!', as in this is the week I tackle the unknown stuff and purge.  But I've been saying that for a few weeks already.  But I fee confident that this is that week.  We'll see.

The great thing about moving to the Bay Area is that I have friends that don't live too far away (since we've lived in this general area before).  A week after moving, I got together with one of my dear friends and we did a bunch of freezer meals.  Neither of us had done it before but liked the idea of spending a day together and preparing meals for a month.  We planned on a total of 12 meals each, and in the end we had about 15! (due to cutting one meal in half and making it 4 meals instead of 2, and the others were just extra veggies and excess chicken that was made into a few meals)  We had a lot to learn, like cutting all those veggies takes waaaaaay longer than you think.  Seriously, the entire day took us 9 hours.  We plan to make use of a food processor for all the cutting, slicing and dicing next time.  Yes, we will be doing this again, this coming weekend in fact!  Hopefully we can cut down the prep time and tackle our meals in a few hours rather than a whole day!  We'll see how it goes.

So, this past month has been filled with addresses, boxes and new experiences.  It's been a good month overall, and I look forward to what October has for us in our new home.

Of Trucks And Friends

As I was growing up my dad had an old Ford pick up.  Through the years, he took good care of it and eventually had it repainted and I became familiar with what pin striping was.  In the end my dad had the truck looking really nice inside and out.  And then he sold it.  What I remember now about that truck is when it was time for my dad to sell it, he was quite sad about it although he knew he was replacing it with a newer, nicer truck.  I remember that it was hard for him to let go of the truck that he had spent so much time in and fixing up.  I also remember how much he loved the 'new' truck once he got it.

In a weird kind of way, as I think of moving and saying goodbye to great friends I am reminded of my dad and his old truck.  Not that my friends can be compared to trucks, not really, but it makes me think that it's hard to let of something I treasure so much without fully knowing what is ahead after we move. At this point I don't really know anyone in the new place and there isn't a whole lot to tie my heart there, yet.  But I do know that the Lord has provided great friendships in each place I have ever been.

And so I am treasuring my last days here in Southern California and the times I have left with my precious friends.  But I am also trusting the Lord and looking forward to seeing what He has planned once we move.

Moving On, Again

I don't know how to say this, but we're moving.  Again.  I say 'again' because we seem to move every three years since being married.  No, we are not military, but we sure move about the country like we are!

This move was not planned at all.  It's as if the Lord just said 'time's up, let's go!'.  It's funny though, the kids have off and on asked how long we will live in our current house.  And even though we had no plans or desire to leave, my answer was always 'we'll be here for as long as the Lord has us here'.  In hind sight I guess the true answer was 'three years'.

This summer is the six year mark for being here in Southern California, and October will be three years in our house.  And this fall will mark the beginning of our tenure in the San Francisco/Bay area.

I still can't believe it.  We're moving.  Again.

Redefined

grandmother

[gran-muh-ther]

noun

1. The reason why children survive during the absence of their father.

2. A life extender.

3. Good listener and player of games.

4. A witness, holding the mother accountable (see number 2 in connection with number 1).

5. A companion for pedicures and trips to Ikea.

6. Sorely missed by all when plane returns from whence it came.

Rose-Colored Glasses

There's nothing quite like an impending visit from ones mother that causes me to suddenly see how dirty my house is!

*now, before I continue, let me just say that my mother is not a difficult woman, nor is she judgmental or hard to please. Put it this way, she is like visiting royalty, and I want my home to be clean and inviting, because I want her to come back again!

As I prepare for her visit, I look around my house and what was once deemed 'clean enough' or 'that doesn't need attention for another week or two' quickly becomes recatergorized into 'tackle it before Mom comes'. For example, my kitchen floors that get swept once a week and mopped about once a month now need to be ASAP. And the walls all over the house, I notice, grew dirt and smudge prints overnight. It's incredible!

Now, I do try to tackle the things that need attention and I do desire my home to be clean, presentable and comfortable, but on the other hand I don't mind a nice lived-in look either. I'm going to clean and straighten up before Mom comes but I'm not going to kill myself or make my kids ragged before grandma comes either. So I will do my best, then put on my rose-colored glasses to my home and enjoy the time with my guest.

So Undignified

Poor Edward. He's been cooped up in the garage with a cone on his head for over a week. And It's rather pathetic to hear his mournful cries at the back door, requesting his entrance into the house. All because he scratched his eye.

How does a cat scratch his eye, you may ask? I don't know! He's an outdoor kitty, it could have happened any numerous ways. But he didn't just scratch his eye, he scratched his cornea, to be more specific. And that sounds more serious than just his eye. *sigh* So this poor cat, who LOVES being outside, wandering around finding cozy places to nap or a fun fuzzy snack to play with, is confined to a uncozy garage and forced to wear a cone of shame. It's all very undignified.

Poor Edward.

Valentine Box

Caleb had to make a box for his classroom valentines. I think this can be difficult for a boy, seeing how most decorations for these kinds of things are typically hearts and flowers is shades of pink. So I did what any mother would....peruse Pinterest for ideas!

And this is what Caleb and I worked on yesterday. I did help him, but he had his own ideas as well, so it was a joint effort. I think Caleb will have Tge best box in his class! And I'm only biased a little bit.

Eye Of The Beholder

A straight face is a difficult thing to pull off when this little one is peering at you through her 3D glasses (lenses removed) after asking a serious question.

Nearly impossible.

My Latest Project

Ryan and I went through our closet last week and pulled things out that we don't wear anymore.  And I've been starring at a pile of jeans and shirts thinking that I could repurpose them in some way.  At first I thought I could take Ryan's jeans and button-up shirts and make a blanket.  But I really didn't want to make  a quilt.  Then I thought I'd make a purse for Mae because hers broke over Christmas.  But she had other ideas.......she wanted a bag.  So she gave me her input (size, dimensions and other details) and I got to to work.

For the bag and straps, I used a pair of Ryan's old jeans.  And for the lining, I used one of Ryan's shirts (Mae's choice).  It was her idea to distress, the edges of the straps and add a fringe across the front of the bag.

Wah-lah - the finished product!!!!

It is at this point that I will say that I have NEVER lined anything before.  Not ever.  And yet, look how fabulous it makes the bag?!  I think my favorite part is the pockets I took from the shirt and placed just so, for pencils, change or chapstick.  I am so pleased with myself I could pee my pants!

Boldly Go Where No Where No Housewife Has Gone Before

I have been less than pleased with our dishwasher lately.  It's dirty and is putting a sandy finish on my drinking glasses.  Well, I didnt know it was dirty at first, but it got so bad that I've had to get new glasses for when we have guests over and I can serve drinks in a glass that LOOKS as clean as it is.  But the dishwasher is still putting some sandy residue on things.  And I didn't want to pay a service guy to come out and tell me we need a new dishwasher (also meaning, I don't want to have to buy a new dishwasher!).  Then I saw this link on Pinterest and it got me to thinking that I could fix my dishwasher problem.  I didn't actually read the article, but it was about taking apart the dishwasher and cleaning it.  That was all I needed, an idea to propel me forward.  Forward into unknown territory - the inner-most workings of my dishwasher.

I don't think this ever occurred to me.  Ever.  As in, I don't think in my whole entire life have I heard of anyone cleaning their dishwasher.  And why would I?  I mean, a dishwasher is suppose to clean things so why should I have to clean it??!  Absurdity!

But I had to try since it could mean saving several hundred dollars on having to buy a new one (although.....a new one would be nice).  And so Saturday found me taking out the bottom rack and taking apart the dasher thingy and all the other parts underneath.  I soaked and scrubbed and brushed at the parts inside and out for an hour or so, then put it all back to together (thank you Jesus for helping me to remember how to put it back together!!!!).

And now my dishes are getting clean again.  Thank you Pinterest for yet another idea!

Not Prepared

There are many things that people told me when I was expecting my first child.  How I wouldn't get much sleep the first few months, how many diapers I'd need per day, how to get on a feeding schedule.  Then they told me more things on what to expect as each additional child came along.  But through all the advice and suggestions, no one ever told me or prepared me for one of the most annoying things......

how craft and office supplies vanish!

I wish that instead of baby wipes or onesies, I was given scissors, tape and pens.  My junk drawer is always severely lacking these things, and mostly when I need them!  It never fails that I'll need to write a check or mail a package and I'll look to the junk drawer for a pen or packing tape and not find any!  It's inevitable that these items have been lost in the vortex of childhood inspiration and imagination, never to seen again.  I am convinced!

True to motherhood, I've had to get creative in securing my resources (ie. hoarding and hiding).  I buy a 3-pack of scotch tape and put one in the drawer, one in a cabinet up above (for me to use, secretly) and the other in a closet (up, out of sight and reach).  I have also purchased a cheap pack of pens and declared that NO ONE IS TO REMOVE THEM FROM THE ROOM!  The pen(s) are to be used and immediately returned to the drawer from which they came.  And under no circumstances am I to EVER find them in someone's room!  But it has not worked.  No one listens to me. *sigh*  And so I bought a new pack of pens yesterday.

And don't get me started on printer paper and glue sticks.

I was totally unprepared for this part of motherhood.  Why did no one tell me that office supplies would be a hot commodity and hoarded and hidden like candy?  I had no idea I would one day find myself secretly snickering and congratulation myself on a well-hidden, good pen.

Isabel Says

The other day Ryan decided to walk to the store.  He needed some fresh air and thought a walk would be better than a drive.  Since the store isn't too far away, he asked Isabel if she wanted to go with him.  She said yes.

On the return trip, there is a somewhat of a hill to climb.  It was at this point that Isabel got tired and started to verbally regret her decision in joining her father on the walk.  Here are a few of her regrets:

My legs are tired.
My back hurts.
I wish I could fly.
I wish I had said 'no'.

Isabel has an uncanny way of expressing exactly how she is feeling and what is going on inside her little mind.  She didn't get that from me, but maybe that's a good thing.

Passing Down My Skilz

This year Mae has decided to give a couple gifts to her friends for Christmas.  She bought a couple candy bars but wanted something else to go with them.  This got me to thinking about friendship bracelets.  I knew it would be something crafty and easy enough for Mae.  I used to make these bracelets back when I was in Jr. High, but I can't remember any of the patterns except for a basic braid.  So I went online to find some simple patterns for her.

After finding a few simple patterns, I dusted off my friendship bracelet making skilz.  Funny how quickly it all comes back, kinda like riding a bike.  I made a sample bracelet for Mae, and then I passed on my mad skilz, which incudes; jeans, safety pin, thread, and an intense concentration.  Kinda like this

Watching Mae, I feel like I've been transported back to my early teens.  But without the size 2 jeans.

Isabel Randomness

The other day Isabel and I were hanging out in the living room.  We weren't really talking about anything in particular or playing any game.  It was during this span of time when she, while doing a cartwheel, blurted out "I really wish I could swing on a vine!".

It was one of those moments where you stop for a second and try to connect the dots and figure out where this statement came from.  The next second finds you laughing out loud while the child just stands there, aghast that your laughing at what she said, staring at you.

It couldn't be helped.  Isabel says the silliest things sometimes.  And we love her for it.

Stock-ing Stuffers

I think I'll get the kids one of these for Christmas.  It'll make for a nice addition to the backyard, dontcha think?

Cider...Mmmmm

When my parents came to visit for Thanksgiving they didn't come empty handed.  They came bearing gifts.  For example, they brought one of these

Yep.  A one gallon jug of apple cider.  And when it's heated up, it's super-yum!

Not sure what I'll do with the big ol' jug when we're done with the cider though.  Maybe we'll make some moonshine!

Settle Down

I was at Target yesterday, getting some flea stuff for the cats, when I saw this other stuff

It is recommended for issues like 'destructive behavior' and 'inappropriate marking'.  Makes me wonder......doest this stuff come in a child version?