Enough

Lately - OK, pretty much for the past ever-since-I-can-remember-since-having-3-children, I feel like my life is spiraling out of control. I feel like, despite my very best efforts to nurture well-fed, well-groomed, well-mannered, well-behaved children who are afforded educational, service, entertaining and stimulating opportunities, while at the same time providing them with a (somewhat) clean home, (mostly) nutritional, clean clothes to wear, etc - AND paying the bills, shoveling the walk, and somehow finding time to sleep once in awhile - I continue to fall further and further behind.

Take today, for example. My 'junk drawer' was LONG overdue for a makeover. (Especially since the Mr. so kindly emptied his own personal junk drawer into mine! stinker.) So, I woke up earlier than the children (no easy task since I was up with Wiggles no less than 4 times last night!), read my scriptures, showered, emptied the dishwasher, got dinner started in the crockpot, packed Angel a lunch, started a load of laundry, and decided the rest of the day could be devoted to the junk drawer. (yes, it was THAT bad!)

As soon as the kids arose, though, my own personal plans were

set on hold. Family scriptures to read, three tummies to fill wit

h breakfast, 3 faces to scrub/mouthes to brush/head

s of hair to comb, breakfast dishes to clean up and floor to

swept, 3 kids to get dressed (since Angel refuses to be independent in the

morning...), 3 beds to 'help' the kids make, a tube of

toothpaste to coax out of Wiggles hand 34 times since she insists on eating it, 1 backpack to re-pack

since Wiggles has emptied it for the umpteen

th time this morning, 4 to bundle into snow suits/coats/hats/gloves/scarves/boots before we head out the door at 8:20. Whew. And we're only getting started.

Once we're home from taking Angel to school (about 9:30) I figure I'll have a couple of hours to attack the junk drawer before starting lunch. Then I remember I still need to shovel since it snowed a few more inches overnight. Thankfully I haven't yet un-bundled the kids, so I just get to work and hope the kids will play in the snow for a few minutes. Wiggles needs to be picked up every couple of shovels full, when she insists "Mommy, hold you!" because she's cold but doesn't want to go inside alone. I finally decide the walk is 'shoveled enough'.

10:00 I set Wiggles up with some play-doh and encourage Grins to build and I go to work. After about 2 minutes of good organizing, Wiggles 'needs to use the potty' so we go spend the next half hour reading books and singing songs in the bathroom. When she's finally 'done' (though she didn't actually DO anything in the toilet), I re-dress her and then come out to see Grins' creations, which are, by the way, incredible. I spend 4 minutes listening to everything from how the bombs shoot over here, to how the bombs are stored in there, to why they need the bombs to defeat the enemies in the first place.

(Grins explaining his creations to me)

I'm interrupted by Wiggles saying "I don't want to go poop in my diaper - I want to poop in the toilet", read: "I just pooped in my diaper, even though I know I'm supposed to go in the toilet." Another diaper change. And the clock now says 10:42. We are overdue for nack time. Open the fridge to retrieve some snow peas and oranges, and make a mental note that 1) someone has spilled SOMEthing in the fridge that requires immediate attention, and 2) our fridge is almost empty since I haven't been shopping in awhile (see previous post on food storage....). OK. So after making snacks I do as quick a wipe-down on the fridge as possible, yet if you've ever cleaned a fridge you will know that a 'quick' job requires at LEAST 20 minutes. For some reason.

11:20. While I was cleaning the kids finished their snack, spilled about 57 more goldfish on the floor, then proceeded to step on them while running around in circles. (Are my kids the only ones who can be entertained by running around in circles, almost endlessly? It is SO funny.) Wiggles had 'brushed the teeth' of all of her baby dolls and stuffed animals, meaning, of course, that they were now all covered in toothpaste. (HOW can I get the toothpaste out of her reach, but still in a place where the older 2 can reach it to brush their teeth independently - just in case they ever actually decide to try out the independence thing?) Grins had found the "sign here" stickers in my pile of 'junk drawer' findings and plastered all four of his limbs with almost the entire pad.

11:50 Collect all the miscellaneous screws/nuts/bolts from the junk

pile and put them in a container. Gather all the writing utensils and put them in the appropriate canister. Find about 500 batteries and wonder if I should just assume they are all bad and throw them all away, or prudently try to test each one. I set them aside for later.

12:00 Time to start lunch. Tuna fish sandwiches, tomatoes, cucumbers. Take another mental note that if I don't go shopping today, we will need to eat tuna tomorrow, for the 3rd day in a row. Not that I mind, mind you, but it's probably time to get to the store.

12:15 Start feeding the kids lunch. I sit and eat for a moment before hopping up to get a towel to clean up the spilled milk. "I don't want to dump my milk on my tray" says Wiggles. Of course you don't.

12:20 Since I'm up and have had a few bites, I may as well get back to the junk drawer. So that is where all the matches went. Oops, should have paid that bill last week. I LOVE all of Angel's sweet little notes/cards/drawings/stories/pictures/posters/etc - but really, which ones do I keep/scan/share/toss? I set that stack next to the batteries, for "later". Then I've got to quickly clean up lunch while the kids choose their books.

12:30 Story time. Grins brings a stack of books almost as tall as him (really, it's only about 20 books, but it still looks daunting. Yet I am so happy that he loves to read, and I also realize we haven't had any real 'quality' time together, so I don't turn him away. I read a few to him and Wiggles before taking Wiggles into her room for nap. Now that she is binkie-free, naps require a bit more on my part; at least 3 songs, sometimes more, depending on how tired she is. Fortunately today 3 is enough.

1:00 Back to Grins in my room. I compliment him on being so quiet while I was putting Wiggles down, then notice his guilty eyes so I look around. Candy wrappers on my floor. Then my dresser. Covered in what was once a neat stack of papers, organized. Oh, and the basket of folded laundry? Overturned, of course. Hmmm. I calmly ask him to help me straighten things up if he'd like us to have our 'special time' (the time just the 2 of us share together while Angel is at school and Wiggles is napping - he LOVES it!) He consents, so we clean up together. He may be good at making messes, but he is great at diving right in and getting the job done (when he wants to ;) ).

1:30 Stories with Grins. Normally we do a 'reading' or 'writing' lesson, but today, he just wants to be read to. And I'm fine with that. Snuggling up with his head on my chest, his arms wrapped around me with his warm hands on my arms is pretty much heaven. And I know it won't last forever. I don't want to leave. So I read him all 20 books, with all the voices.

2:30 Time to get Wiggles up, get everyone bundled back up, and go pick up Angel from school. With the MOUNTAIN of snow (taller than the Mr. by far) blocking our path (we take a trail through the woods, the mouth of which is a dead-end street, which is apparently a perfect place for the snow plows to dump....), we barely make it to school in time. And since the stroller doesn't navigate well in the snow I get the special priviledge of carrying Wiggles the whole way....she would prefer to walk, but since the snow is up to her waist, each step takes about a minute, and we just don't have that kind of time right now.

3:00 Pick Angel up. She wants to go skating but we went yesterday and Wiggles has a difficult time in the snow, so I try to steer her in a different direction. Let's go home and make cards? OK, IF we can stop on the way home and dig for snow under the ice. It's a deal.

3:30 Digging for ice turns out to be more fun than anyone would have guessed so we keep going a little longer.

4:00 Finally home. We thaw our fingers out a bit, complete
Angel's reading assignment.

4:20 Since dinner's already in the crockpot, I figure I'll try to grab a moment to work on the junk drawer while they play nicely.

4:25 Fighting ensues. He said/she said/it's not fair. OK; junk drawer will have to wait. They need to be kept busy so I give them some jobs to complete while I work on dinner.

4:45 Table is set, salad is made. My kids are awesome!

5:00 Dinner on the table, and besides some fighting over who gets to pray, we enjoy a lovely meal together.

5:30 Try to quickly clean up while bundling the kids up - we've been asked to give a woman in our ward a ride to a ward activity tonight.

6:00 Finally leave the house (a little late, since we were searching for dry gloves/hats/etc - the ones we had worn to pick up Wiggles were still wet!)

9:00 At long last, arrive home from the activity. Teeth brushed, pajamas on, and straight to bed. Even Wiggles only needs 1 song tonight.

9:20 I can finally finish cleaning up dinner. Oops, I left the milk out all this time. Can't believe I've already swept the floor twice today and it looks this bad. Oh yeah, I need to switch the laundry. And put away the clothes I folded last night (and re-folded today).

9:45 Oh good, I still have a little time to write in my journal, and to call the Mr. to say 'good night' (he's still at the hospital.) Oh wait. I need to put together a shopping list for tomorrow, address the invitations to Angel's birthday party, take a test online to get my license, and prepare the presentation I just agreed to do at the ward activity in 2 days. Hmmm. I vow not to go to bed until it's all done.

11:00 I no longer feel productive. I'm tired. I'm going to bed. Oh no - the junk drawer is still covering the kitchen counter. Sigh. Should I....no. Wiggles will be up in 2 hours. I'm still going to bed.

Sleep a few hours. Wake up. Repeat.

At the start of this post, I hadn't intended to do a 'blow by blow' of the day. It somehow just evolved into that, so I apologize. What I really meant to say was that, as I was putting the children to bed tonight, feeling overwhelmed at all I had left undone today, I had a small epiphany. I've been praying for the wrong thing. Each morning and night I ask "Please help me to be productive, and get everything done I need to do today." Instead, I should be asking "Please help everything I do - and am - to be ENOUGH." I am not perfect, and despite my every effort, I never will be. Not a perfect housekeeper. Not a perfect mother. Not a perfect person. But I am told, if I do my part, He (my Lord, Jesus Christ) will make up the difference. He will take my weak (yet sincere) attempt ENOUGH. I just HAVE to trust that He will, and let that be enough.

Furthermore, I need to resist the urge to get caught up in the (very pervasive) idea that success is measured by productivity/results. The activities which are claiming the majority of my time, efforts, and attentions are not able to be visibly measured and are, to some, insignificant. No one sees how many times I sweep my floor each day, or how much time I spend chopping vegetables, or how many diapers I change, nor do they care. But I do, because I know that these small moments, of seeming insignificance, are, in fact, important. Important because the little girl whose bottom I'm wiping is getting 1) a clean bum (which, I'm sure we'll all agree is of utmost importance!) and 2) my love. The kitchen floor may not be spotless, but I'm keeping my home sanitary and a place my family wants to be. Mine is a noble profession. A thankless one, yes. But one for which I am deeply and eternally grateful. I LOVE being a mom!!!!

This picture is a few weeks old - as evidenced by the presence of the binkie. Wiggles had a fever and wanted to be held every waking moment - which was not allowing me to get ANYTHING done! So, in desperation when I needed to make dinner, I finally convinced her to let "Lion" hold her....and, to my surprise, it worked! Long enough for me to make dinner, at least!

15 inches

Instead of making dinner, I spent the past several hours shoveling the 15+ inches off of our driveway and front walk! Man, I have got to get me a snow blower, or just suck it up and hire a plower, or at least a massage therapist when I'm done...

In any case, we had fun playing in it today. Angel's school was cancelled so we stayed in our pajamas and had a grand old time working on crafts, playing games, popping corn, making snow angels, and drinking hot cocoa. While I was outside shoveling, our neighbor was using his snow blower, and Angel and Grins followed behind him, right underneath where the snow was shooting out, just so they could get a constant "shower". Even with the noise of the motor I could hear their giggling and squeals. Crazy kiddos. I love that they can have fun in almost any situation!

(Cozying up in their new "Snuggies" - a Christmas present from Grandma & Grandpa!)

Poor little Wiggles just followed me around - which is no small feat, considering the snow is up to her waist! But she was such a sport, saying "I want to go in the warm house" or "I'm not going to cry." (We can always tell exactly what she is thinking - she always tells us "I'm not going to color on the walls with this marker." or "I'm not going to throw my food on the ground." or, sometimes it's after the fact; "I'm not going to make that mess"). Hilarious. After we were done with our driveway we went down the street and shoveled the porch of our elderly widow neighbor. We finally headed back home just in time for the Mr. to return from work. Perfect timing! :) So we were able to enjoy a nice, warm meal together!

(Although this photo was taken a few weeks ago - notice the Christmas tree is still up - Nothing says 'snow day' like forts and cushion mountains!)

Unfortunately my camera batteries died just as I was about to take the first picture - and since I was all snow-suited up, I didn't take the time to switch them out - so the photos will have to wait for another day. But for now, here are some recent photos (I LOVE having a camera!!! Thank you Mom and Dad B!)

Food Storage

Since we are (currently) a one-car family and the Mr. has been using the car instead of biking to work since it's been SOOOO cold, I haven't had many opportunities for grocery shopping the past couple of weeks. So, I have taken this opportunity to practice cooking from our food storage. It is actually perfect timing because we are having a church activity involving this on Saturday!

(Photo courtesy of PreparednessMatters.blogspot.com)

So far this week, we've had spaghetti, white bean chicken chili, and 4-bean vegetarian chili with rice. Yum! Coming up for the remainder of the week: Refried bean corn soup, Potato corn chowder, and Beef stew. But my goal is to come up with 2-4 weeks worth of healthful recipes I can make entirely from canned/boxed food. (I realize this isn't nearly as healthy as eating fresh/raw - but I'd like to know my family can still eat healthy during a time of natural disaster/emergency/etc.) I would love to hear your suggestions for good 'food storage' recipes or sources on where to find them!

"Yes, they're all mine!"

An unrelated picture of Angel and Grins sharing a new Christmas gift (belonging to Wiggles!) - I love how nurturing each of my children are, practically from birth. It is so precious.

I've posted on this topic before but, just for my own record, I have to note this, if for no other reason than to look back and realize I am improving, if only slightly.

This afternoon while walking Angel home from school, Angel, Grins, Wiggles and I were accompanied by my friend's 3 yr old son as well, who played with us this afternoon while my friend ran some errands. An elderly man walking his dog passed us and, with a friendly smile said, "I really hope those aren't all yours!" just as kindly and politely as if he had commented on what a beautiful day it was. His comment caught me completely off guard because of his friendly demeanor - so much so that I almost didn't realize what he had said until after he had passed. But in the past, when people have commented on the number of children I have, I have been ashamed or embarrassed, and have said "I only have 3!" or in some other way have tried to make sure they realize I am not, in fact, 'irresponsibly overpopulating the planet'.

But I have always been uncomfortable with this. I love children, I believe children are "an heritage of the Lord,(Psalm 127:3)", I am not ashamed of my children, and I fully intend on having more! I believe that the number of children one has is an incredibly personal choice, and ought never be a source of judgment or condemnation, particularly when the parents are responsibly caring for their own children. Last time I posted on this, I received a few delightful suggestions regarding appropriate responses to strangers who feel the need to comment on the number of children they see. I've been keeping these ready should the occasion present itself again - which it did today.

Unfortunately, since I was so caught off guard, and because I am not good with quick retorts, most of the clever quips I'd planned escaped me. I did, however, manage a: "Only 3 are mine, but I would love to have 4. They are so much fun!" The man's face changed and he quickly walked away, but I walked home with a happy heart, knowing that I had, at last, defended my choice and my belief.

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ..." (Romans 1:16)

How much is a nap worth to YOU?

Since Sunday is a day of rest, I sometimes feel that I can justify indulging in a little nap of my own while Wiggles naps and the older kids enjoy quiet Sunday activities (drawing pictures to send to family or missionaries, reading scripture stories, or, if I'm incredibly desperate for a nap, even watching a scripture video). Today, however, I made the unfortunate mistake of falling asleep while reading stories to all 3 children.....a mistake for which I would pay dearly.

After about 20 minutes (I'm not sure exactly how long I was asleep since I dozed off unintentionally, but I know it was less than half an hour), I was awakened by Grins saying "Mommy, (Wiggles) just flushed your earrings down the toilet!" I'm not always quick to arise, but this certainly got my attention. Upon jumping out of bed, I smelled a most disgusting stench. I made my way over a pile of books on my bedroom floor (courtesy of Wiggles while I had been sleeping) to the bathroom. And then gasped. We keep our bathroom door closed to keep Wiggles out of the plethora of things which seem to interest her in there (eating toothpaste, dumping out soap, playing in the toilet, unrolling toilet paper....etc) but somehow one of the older children forgot to shut it after using the restroom. And Wiggles had taken full advantage of the opportunity, particularly noting the fact that, while I was sleeping, she could get away with it. My makeup artfully decorated the sink, counter and mirror. Most of a roll of toilet paper was unwound. And my bottle of multivitamins was opened, with a half-eaten vitamin sitting next to it (can't imagine how that tasted, but it must have been bad, considering that she eats soap!) Wow. So much for not cleaning on Sunday.

Not finding Wiggles, I moved into the bedroom, only to find an entire box of mixed nuts and seeds strewn around the carpet. Fantastic. But no Wiggles (though I continued to smell her...)

I followed the odor out to the front room, where I was met with baby dolls, stuffed animals, and blankets galore, this time courtesy of Angel. Every couch/chair/pillow/rug was covered with a stuffed animal or doll and I believe she must have used every blanket we own in keeping said toys alone. I hadn't realized we had that many blankets.

Not finding Wiggles, I passed through the dining area, noting that I had failed to adequately clean up lunch, so, of course, there were cream cheese smears on the table and chairs - and probably walls, windows, couches, curtains, etc, were I to spend more time looking.

I finally found Wiggles in the great room, where she had emptied most of her favorite bookshelf. I confirmed the fact that she had created a special something in her diaper for me, but the question of the flushed earrings was first on my mind.

"Where are Mommy's earrings?" I asked.

Wiggles was still chewing on a bagel, so Angel piped up first. "(Wiggles) put them in the toilet."

Me (relieved) - "Oh, so she didn't flush them?"

A - "No, but I did."

M - "You did? Why?"

A - "I didn't realize they were in the toilet. I flushed because I had just gone to the bathroom."

M - "Oh, I see. Well, where did she get the earrings?"

A - "Out of this box" (holding up my EMPTY jewelry box, which had previously contained all of my earrings [except the ones I was wearing], including the pearls I wore on my wedding day)

M - "Oh. Where are the other earrings?"

A - "They were all flushed"

M - "Really? (laughing) Wow. How did she get this box?"

A - "I took it down off of your dresser earlier today when I was dressing up."

M - "I see. Well, that is disappointing. (Then, more to myself) I wonder if that short nap was really worth all those earrings...My wedding pearls were in that box. But, they're just earrings."

A - "Well, Mom. We, your kids, are worth more than earrings."

M - (laughing and hugging Angel) "Of course you are, babe!"

I proceeded to change Wiggles, clean up the makeup, toilet paper and sunflower seed messes, and proceeded with our day, thinking that my short nap was certainly NOT worth the loss of all of my earrings. As I reflected on my response to the situation, however, I began to change my mind. Had I been tired or stressed, I might have shouted or cried or flown off the handle at my children for the innocent little play of events that had resulted in my loss. But fortunately, I was adequately rested enough to be able to take it in stride, and remember that "things are just things" and that my children are worth far more than a few pairs of earrings - or anything money can buy, for that matter. Even wedding pearls. And so, I've concluded that, sometimes, a nap is priceless.

I will, however, be a bit more vigilant against falling asleep unintentionally in the near future, I can assure you! :)

(Note: 1) I apologize for my several weeks of 'silence': I haven't posted recently due to the tragic death or our computer. 2) I apologize for the generic photos. Our photos of the kids were all on our previous computer - and I didn't feel like taking pictures during the progression of this story; I was too anxious to 'get to the bottom of' what had happened....) Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go wipe the cream cheese off the walls...

Merry Christmas from Maine!

If our previous Christmas letters have been “old hat”, we finally have NEWS this year:

January was spent researching Residency programs, schools, neighborhoods, etc, and creating a “match list” of where the Mr. hoped to complete his residency.

February seemed to last forever as we awaited the news of where we would move.

March 18^th, “Match Day,” we learned that the Mr. had matched for a 3 year Internal Medicine Residency at Maine Medical Center in Portland, ME, to begin in June.

April found us packing our belongings, wrapping up our 9 years in Utah, and taking a quick trip to Oregon to bid farewell to family there.

May brought Graduation and a move to Maine on the same day!

June found us settling into a HOUSE! Goodbye little apartment, hello 2400 sq feet! J

July marked “Dr. Buchanan’s” first month of Residency.

August meant our 9^th anniversary, a visit from our dear friend Bea, and a delightful week at Lake Picasset with our new friends, the O’Malleys and Richardsons.

September marked Angel’s First Day of Kindergarten

October brought a much-anticipated visit from our Oma & Opa! What fun!

November reminded us of the multitude of blessings for which we are ever grateful!

December will be bittersweet as we enjoy the wonderful holiday season, witness our first “New England winter”, and think fondly of our loved ones far away.

Our Top 10 in 2010

10 – number of states on our “match list”

9 – Packing 9 years into 1 Penske truck

8 – months since we left Utah

7 – days a week we miss our loved ones

6 – the number of days the Mr. has had off since July

5 – the age of our newest Kindergartner

4 – the Mr. driving the Penske from UT to ME in 4 days!

3 – incredible children who keep getting cuter

2 – bathrooms in our new house! At last!

1 – happy family, no matter where we are

Wishing you and yours the best, this holiday season and always!

With love, The Buchanans

Why I just can't get anything done around here...

...Because ALL I want to do is look at these little lovelies all day long! Can you blame me?

Man, I am one lucky mother!

Grins

Have I mentioned that I'm grateful for Grins' dimples? I love them. Every time I look at his smile, I want to eat him right up. Sometimes I actually do - he's delicious!

Today, as we were getting in the car, he said, "Thank you for your kindness, Mommy!"

This little man melts my heart! I am SO grateful for my children, grateful to be a mother, and grateful for the honor and priviledge of being with my children (almost) every waking moment!

Christmas Cards....

Tis the season for sending out Christmas cards/letters/greetings! This is one of my favorite Christmas traditions; sending out letters to family/loved ones I may not have seen in awhile, and also receiving cards and hearing about what everyone else has been up to this year! I made it a goal when I was married to do a Christmas letter every year - and so far, so good (although I may not be on time every year... I think the year Wiggles was born they were more like Valentine's cards....!)

Anyway, I recently heard about a promotion going on right now on Shutterfly where bloggers can receive 50 Christmas cards for free! I have done photobooks on Shutterfly in the past - last year I gave them to our mothers and grandmother and had to keep one for myself, of course! And everyone LOVED them! But I haven't yet made cards with shutterfly...but when I checked out their ENORMOUS selection of Christmas cards, I felt like a kid in a candy store! Truly! They have SO many, it is impossible to choose just one style! But I did narrow it down to my top 4 favorites:

With Love Chartreuse - I often choose cards with multiple pictures because I love putting a family shot, along with individual pics of my children! This one really caught my eye - I love it!

Bright Christmas Story - I love that this has 3 pictures - for my 3 little lovelies - and think it's especially nice that you can add a little sentence about each one - perfect!

Love 2010 - This one really jumped out at me since I have actually already written our Christmas letter - which had our Top 10 for the year! So I couldn't believe they had actually designed a card for that! Wow!

Pine Cone Toile - I love the marriage of modern with classic and traditional - beautiful!

Hurry on over to Shutterfly right now to check out this great promotion, and to pick out your favorite! I'm sure such an amazing deal won't last long! :)

By the way - if you've already done your Christmas cards but are still shopping for Christmas presents, they have TONS of great ideas.... Photo calendars are a great idea, and they also have an entire section on lots of different photo gift ideas! And if you're done with your Christmas planning, check out their awesome New Year's Invitations and Birthday Invitations! They really have it all! :) And, I just have to say, I have been very impressed with their customer service as well - which is HUGE for me! They respond to emails/inquiries right away!

Reverent laughter?

Why have the majority of my posts been about prayers lately? I don't know. But here's the latest funny to add:

Wiggles, as I've mentioned previously, likes to pray "Please bless Daddy to ride his bike safely on the road." (He's gone for 99% of her prayers, and bikes to and from work, so this is actually a much-needed prayer, and I appreciate her thoughtfulness.) She also likes to ask "Please help me to sleep all through the night in my own bed" (uh, have we brain washed her enough? :) But what's even funnier is that she has started mimicking Grins' 'Please 1, Please 2, Please 3... although she doesn't stop at 3 - last night she went up to Please 22 before I finally redirected her. But I digress....) Anyway, this evening at dinner she said "Please help Daddy to sleep through the night on his own bike" at which point I, completely caught off guard, guffawed, and then, trying to stifle the laughter mid-prayer, proceeded to make some sort of snorting noise. At this, Wiggles considered her words and said "No, not sleep on his own bike. Please help Daddy to

ride his bike on the ROAD and sleep in his own BED" ...but by this time, having heard my unintentional outburst, her older siblings were already laughing as well, and her sweet little prayer of faith managed to evolve into a slightly irreverent giggle fest. But, I'm pretty sure the recipient of the prayer was laughing too, and He knows the intent of our hearts....

I'm so grateful for the faith of my sweet little Giggles. When she prays, she really is talking to God. Pure and simple. It's beautiful.

(This picture has nothing to do with the post but it's so exciting because I took it today! I got a new camera (THANK YOU MOM&DAD B!!!), so I can once again capture these beautiful little moments, like my children all snuggled together, reading.....this is how I find them almost every evening as I prepare dinner. I love it!)

Which brings me to my next topic....gratitude. I actually started this in my personal journal a few days ago, but haven't had an opportunity to blog about it until now. A couple of friends of mine have been blogging about things they are grateful for; one for a month (here), and another for an entire year! (here). I hesitated to jump on the bandwagon at first, since 1) I am not normally a 'bandwagon jumper' so-to-speak, and 2) I don't blog every day. But I finally decided that jumping on a good bandwagon can actually be a very positive thing to do, and that I needn't blog every day to benefit from such an experiment; I will simply write my reasons to be grateful in my journal, and blog about them as I am able. Again, more for my benefit than anyone reading, but there you have it. Blogging is just a little more exciting than a journal because I can add a little picture. :)

So, for today: Wiggles' faith. It makes me smile....and sometimes even laugh.

101 in 365

I saw this on another blog and thought it was a great idea. The list I saw was 101 in 1001, but I don't think I can wait 3 years to get to these....so I'm shooting for a year! That should still give me plenty of time....so here I go! I will return and change the color of the items I complete - and add a post for the 'tangible'/visible projects (if I'm feeling extra motivated.)

1. Potty train Wiggles

2. Paint my computer armoire black and add hardware

3. Hang pictures on my walls

4. Finish painting the front room

5. Paint the great room

6. Rearrange the front room furniture

7. Build a shelf for my entry

8. Create an art supplies storage system

9. Not raise my voice at my children for an entire week

10. Teach Grins to read

11. Clean out the storage shed

12. Have another baby

13. Teach Angel some basic piano lessons

14. Teach Wiggles to read

15. Get rid of things I haven't used in 6 months

16. Get rid of the antique bottles I dug up in the yard

17. Organize my garage

18. Make the kids job boards

19. Create a better storage system for the coat closet

20. Rake all the leaves in my yard (not that I haven't already done it, but I think the leaves are finally finished falling so this might be the last time this season?)

21. Organize the kids' closet

22. Install mirrors

23. Clean off the bar

24. Organize and label the food storage

25. Organize my recipes

26. Organize my magazine clippings

27. Organize my filing cabinet

28. Set up my new ipod touch :)

29. Vacuum the car

30. Get a shop vac so I can vacuum my car from home!

31. Set up a good 'drop zone' for the Mr.

32. Get on a better shopping/meal planning schedule

33. Stick to a 'computer time' budget for at least 1 week

34. Run a race

35. Go without after-dinner snacks for at least 1 week

36. Put hooks in the kids closet

37. Organize the hair accessories

38. Find a cute way to organize my jewelry

39. Organize the desk

40. Implement a good system for dealing with 'hot spots'

41. Implement a good deep cleaning schedule

42. Implement a good scrapbooking schedule

43. Get curtains back up in the front room (must finish painting first....)

44. Put a valance in my kitchen window

45. Hang curtains in the dining room

46. Hang curtains in the kitchen

47. Sew or alter at least one item

48. Make bread

49. Write in my journal every day for a month

50. Set up Sunday stations again

51. Set up a Family Home Evening lesson file

52. Set up our Family Home Evening board

53. Involve the children in Family Home Evening more

54. Organize a "paper" system

55. Change the oil in the car by myself (I always wait for the Mr. but it is something I could do on my own!)

56. Set up my new bookshelf!

57. Sort through my scrapbook things

58. Come up with a system for preserving the childrens' creations

60. Make a book of Family Traditions we enjoy and others we would like to implement

61. Catch up on Christmas ornaments (I've sort of gotten out of the habit the last 2 years....)

62. Organize my 'misc' closet

63. Organize my armoire

64. Organize my cedar chest

65. Set up a 'mud room' in the basement before the snow starts

66. Move my armoire to make room for the wood stove

67. Toast marshmallows in our fireplace!

68. Have a yard sale and DECLUTTER (this will obviously have to wait until Spring!)

69. Carol and deliver holiday goodies to everyone on our street

70. Get our Christmas Cards out the day after Thanksgiving

71. Exercise 5 days/week for at least a month

72. Make a new yule log for our family tradition

73. Set up a "Gift Shop" where my children can spend their chore bucks on gifts for family members and friends

74. Host a Christmas Caroling (or other sort of) party in our neighborhood

75. Update our 72 hour kits with warm clothing

76. Do a Fall Cleaning of our house (Deep cleaning)

77. Organize my laundry room closet

78. Be completely prepared for the sabbath on Sat night for a consecutive month

79. Have a "yes" day for my children

80. Go on a date with the Mr.

81. Go to the temple at least 4 times before June 2011

82. Get my Maine Physician Assistant Licensure

83. Take pictures (and blog them) of my children every Sunday for a month. (I can do this now that I have a new camera!!!!! THANK YOU Mom and Dad B!!!!)

84. Implement a good photo organization/sharing system.

85. Implement a new 'responsibility' motivation system for the children.

86. Stay home at least 1 weekday/week for a month.

87. Do a good, thorough cleaning of my house each week for a month.

88. Do a family service project at least once a month for 6 consecutive months.

89. Put on a family play.

90. Perform a song as a family.

91. Visit family in Utah and/or Oregon.

92. Get Angel's camera hooked up and teach her to use it.

93. Host a family sock hop

94. Implement a better recycling system

95. Smooth out and lay rocks in the driveway

96. Finish our gratitude chain (taller than the house)

97. Blog every Sunday for 2 months

98. Remember and call/send a card to every family member on their birthday for an entire year

99. Keep a New Year's Resolution for a least the entire month of January

100. Leave the Mr. a love every day for a week.

101. Not complain about how much the Mr. is gone (aloud OR to myself) for an entire week! (NOT counting the week he is off....)

102. (OK, I keep thinking of more; why stop at 101?) Dance with my children every day for at least a week.

103. Have a freezer cooking day.

Thankful

I LOVE that Thanksgiving comes right before Christmas! I adore Christmas, truly! But unfortunately I feel it often turns into a commercial, self-serving holiday (wish lists, visits to Santa to tell him what I want, etc.) such that the true meanings of the holiday (peace, joy, love, generosity, etc) play a less-significant role than they should. So, I find it especially meaningful that Thanksgiving comes in at just the right moment to remind us of ALL we have to be grateful for. Because remembering our blessings is a GREAT cure for (what we like to call) the "gimmies"!

We often put up little "hand" turkeys with things we are grateful for, but this year we decided it would be fun to make a chain, and to see how long the chain could be. Could it be taller than Daddy? Taller than the ceiling? Taller than the HOUSE? (this is a very exciting concept to a 4 year old - something larger than a house!) Each link in the chain contained something for which our family (or a member of our family) is grateful. This is what we came up with in our first 5 minutes (currently taller than the ceiling - we will need to revisit it this week to reach our 'taller than the house' goal). In the order in which they were shouted out by excited family members: (And I have to say, our children really impressed us in their creativity! We asked them to think beyond the standard answers....and they certainly did!)

The Temple

Books

Skype (Grins! - He loves skyping family!)

Repentance

Spell check

Ears

Stickers

Prayer

Church

Eyeballs

REAL maple syrup (not the corn syrup kind!)

Computer

Crepes

Toys

Love

Daddy

Water

Mommy

Bums (We thought Grins was just being silly here but he explained that, if we didn't each have a 'bum', we wouldn't be able to rid our bodies of waste....which would make us sick.....which would be bad. So we honor the submission. lol.)

Milk

Ben and Jerry's

Scriptures

Chocolate

Jesus

Music

Angel

Toilet

Candy

Grins

Wiggles

Sleep

Food

Walls

Family

Our House

Babies

Light

Phone

Priesthood

Toothpaste

Dinner

Sisters

Eggs

Crayons

Clothing

Cameras

Coats

Swimming Pools

Clocks

Dancing

Youtube

Hair

Eyebrows

Eyelashes

Paint

Heat

Beds

Christmas

Blankets

Snuggles

Hugs

Kisses

Noses

Running Water

Electricity

Freedom of Religion

Independence

Journals

Pioneers

Explorers

Cars

Inventors

Founding Fathers

Eating utensils

Sewing machine

baby dolls

refrigerator

stoves

microwave

We will update our list when it is complete....

Go Away!!!!

I consider myself an animal-lover. I mean, I don't have any pets, and I do occasionally eat poultry and fish, but when I see an animal I treat it with respect. If it is particularly cute I may even go so far as to say "Awwww" and give it a friendly pat or rub. I have even been known to make/hang bird feeders near my house, throw goodies out for the squirrels, and even hand-feed carrots to wild deer(!). But wildlife is now cramping my style.

When my precious little squash and watermelon seedlings went missing just a couple of days after I had transplanted them into the ground, I was sad. When the pumpkins my children were working so hard to cultivate were nibbled on (under the fence!), I was upset. When my compost bin was ravaged and the remnants scattered around my yard, I was angry. But finding animal excrement on my back deck.....HORRIFIED! and, a little bit furious!

(OK, it's not quite THIS fat.....but pretty close!)

Aside from cleaning up scattered compost every morning, I am very much done with cleaning up some very disgusting bodily products (I can't even tell which end of the animal it's coming from.....ewwwww!) which are left in my path every day. To make matters worse, I have spotted the culprit on many occasions - and it is GIGANTIC! I had no idea raccoons could get this fat! Seriously! And that makes me even more mad because I know it's NOT starving - most of that fat probably came from MY compost bin! :) And it apparently lives in a tree! As fat as it is, when I come to scare it away, it jumps off my deck, runs across the backyard, and CLIMBS UP THE TREE! I mean, really! The first time it happened I could not even believe my eyes!

So, in short, I have had it. I am even entertaining thoughts of bb guns! So, my question is: how do I humanely solve this little problem of mine? Anyone?

Happy Birthday Wiggles!

Dearest Wiggles,

Happy Birthday, love! Where has the time gone; how can you be two years old already? I think, of all my children, you grow the fastest; not just because you are the smallest, but because time just seems to fly by when you're around! I truly can't believe it was two years ago that I first held you in my arms - I remember the moment as if it were this morning! And yet, I can't even remember my life without you. You are SO precious to me!

If I've ever felt you were my greatest challenge, there is no question that you are my greatest joy. You are my fire and ice - happier than happy ever was one moment, screaming bloody murder because someone looked at you funny the next. You certainly make life exciting for everyone around you, and you are sure to keep me on my toes! No dull moments in our family since you joined us, that's for sure!

Wiggles, Nov 2008

You are a lover. You want to give loves (tight, squeezing hugs and wet kisses!) to each member of our family (and friends) several times each day! "I wanna give you a UG, Daddy!" you demand each morning, regardless of how many hugs you've already given him. You love your brother and sister SO much and want to do EVERYTHING they do. Without exception. You wear Angel's huge backpack (it nearly touches the ground, it's so large on you!) and say "I wanna ride 'da bus!" You wrestle with Grins, and you are even starting to hold your own! And you are always quick to notice if I'm upset/startled/hurt/etc (even when no one else has a clue! You are very perceptive!) You'll say "What, Mommy?", climb up on my lap, and snuggle me until nothing else matters in the world.

Wiggles, Feb 2009 - What a sport!

You are a singer! I don't remember ever hearing a child your age - or any age for that matter, sing as much as you do! You've been singing almost before you could speak (which you did early!) Your current favorites are: "The Lord is my Light" ("Da Yode is my ya-ah-ah-aeet, he is my soy and my song...") "I Am a Child of God" ("I sing 'I am a Thiod of Dod' to my baby, Mommy!"), "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star", "Row, Row Your Boat", "Mr. Moon", "The Wheels on the Bus", "I Love to See The Temple", "The Eensy Weensy Spider", "Jesus Loved the Little Children", "Follow the Prophet", etc to name just a few. Your singing is the sweetest, most angelic, (not to mention funniest) I've ever heard! I LOVE listening to your sweet little voice and adorable pronunciations! And I love that you are willing to share your music on demand - you are constantly performing for anyone who will listen. You are certainly a performer!

Wiggles, Aug 2009

Speaking of performing, you are also a born acrobat! Every week at FHE Sharing Time, you show us your somersault off the couch - which may not seem entirely impressive given the fact that you are now 2 years old....but is, in fact, amazing, because you've been doing it since you were just over 1 year old! It used to make me so nervous - but you've always been a dare-devil. When we first arrived in Maine, we went to a playground and you climbed to the top of a rock-wall tower - completely out of my reach (7 feet high at least!) and started swinging from the bar. I panicked and scrambled up to get you, but you weren't frightened in the least - just swinging away to your heart's content, shouting "Wheeeeee!" as loud as you could. You certainly have your father's sense of invincibility! :)

Wiggles, Nov 2009

You are determined! You want to do everything "Self". You may scream and throw a fit at not being able to shut the car door by yourself - but the moment I try to help you scream even louder! "No! I want to do it myself, Mommy!" you demand. I have definitely learned patience as we wait for you to dress yourself, feed yourself, buckle yourself into the carseat, remove yourself from difficult situations (eg in the legs of a dining chair), etc. And you are certainly worth the wait - every minute of it!

Wiggles, Jan 2010

You are a snuggler. One of my favorite features of you is the way you freely give snuggles. You hug with your whole body, and you give long hugs too - not the quick, millisecond hugs so many distractable children offer - you will wrap your arms around me for minutes at a time. Which is saying a LOT, considering you are never that still for that long otherwise! (Hence your nickname.) As busy as you are, (constantly moving/exploring/learning/struggling to do something yourself/coloring on the floor/etc

), you will ALWAYS make time to snuggle!

You LOVE to laugh. You LOVE the "Cut the Pickle...tickle, tickle" joke and you absolutely adore being tickled. And tickled. And tickled some more, until my fingers are sore. And how can I resist? If tickling your round belly weren't reward enough, your delicious and infectious giggles and laughter are the icing on the cake!

Wiggles, May 2010

My dear, sweet child. You mean more to me than words will ever be able to say. You are my heart and soul. You mean everything to me. You have challenged and stretched me, and have brought more joy to my life - and the life of our family - than I ever thought possible.

These past two years have been treasures! I can't wait to see what the next two - and beyond - will bring! I love you, Wiggles, with all my heart!

Love, Mommy

(ETA: To our distant loved ones, I'm sorry there are no current pictures of Wiggles. Sadly, we haven't had a camera the past couple of months, so these are our most recent photos. But she was almost as cute then as she is now, so you get the idea....)

Another "prayer" post...

Lately, Grins has been frightened at night, and has taken to saying "Please, please, please, please, please......(more pleases than we can count) help me be safe." I finally said "(Grins), you need to limit yourself to 3 pleases per prayer." That night, he said "Please number 1, Please number 2, Please number 3 help me be safe!" The Mr. and I got a good chuckle over that one.

POWER and Prayer

My Grins may be small but his faith far exceeds his size! He is always the first to suggest that we pray (when lost, when something is missing, etc.) It brings me so much joy to see his little budding testimony grow, and his childlike faith is such an example to the doubter/skeptic in me.
Friday, I was in charge of a large activity at our church, and was in the middle of a very busy day. I had run some errands, returned home briefly to unload the car, then needed to quickly head back out the door. But I could not find my keys! I frantically searched, already running behind, but knowing they had to be nearby since I had just used them to drive home. Then suddenly, dread filled my heart as I realized I could have accidentally locked them in the car. I began to panic, then decided again to enlist Grins' faith in my cause. "Grins, I need to find my keys. Will you help me pray?" He was, of course, eager and willing. But after our first, brief prayer, we had no success. Frustrated and stressed, I began thinking of other options, when he suddenly said "Mommy, wait, let me say one more prayer!"

His prayer was so simple and pure: "...Heavenly Father, we know you have SO, SO, SO much power. Can you please let us have just a tiny bit of Your power so we can find the keys? You have SO much and if you just share a little bit with us then we can find the keys...." My first thought was "Well, now I know for certain we'll find them - surely God can't help but honor such a sweet little request?!" As soon as we said "Amen" Grins jumped up and said, "I remember, you put them on the ledge!" I checked the ledge but, when they weren't there, began doubting (oh, how quick to doubt I am!) Then, miraculously, I looked down into a crevace, where they must have fallen from off the ledge, but which had previously been hidden from view. I couldn't believe how quickly they missing keys were found.

This was such a simple, little miracle, but such a tender moment for me to recognize my son's faith, and gratitude that he had the opportunity to experience, firsthand, the power of prayer. It brought me back to my own, very first experience of the power of prayer, as a young girl of 3 or 4 years (just like Grins!) I remember being at a Christmas Bazaar at a HUGE expo center with hundreds and hundreds of people. Toward the beginning of the Bazaar, I had purchased a tiny baby doll that fit in the palm of my preschool-sized hand. It even came complete with an even tinier pacifier (small enough to fit in the very small baby's mouth...smaller than a pea.) Halfway through the bazaar (around and through which we had walked for quite awhile), I realized, with as much sadness as my 4-yr-old heart had known, that my baby's pacifier was missing. I immediately alerted my father to this fact, and he said "That's too bad." When I asked if we could go look for it, he said "Well, that would be like looking for a needle in a haystack!" I can't remember whether it was he or I that suggested we pray, but I do remember him (all 6 feet 5 of him) kneeling down in the middle of the walkway with me, amidst hundreds of people walking around us, and praying that we could find the baby binkie. Can you guess where this is going? Yes, we got up, and not 10 steps later, we found the pacifier. And I still remember the incredulous - and relieved - look on my dad's face. But mostly, I remember the power of prayer, and how a kind and loving Heavenly Father took a moment from his eternally busy schedule to answer the insignificant prayer of a little 4 year old girl because it meant the world to her.

And it is so wonderful to see this come full circle, in the life of my own child. Man, I LOVE being a mother!!! And I am so blessed to have been born of goodly parents. My heart is so full tonight!

(Note: because I am currently WC (without-camera), I am using old pictures that *sort of* relate to my post - the top is Grins and Angel snuggling in the morning, just because it's so cute. And last is a picture of my Dad and my children - 4 of the people I love most!)

Oma and Opa

Our "Oma and Opa" (Grandma & Grandpa) are paying us a visit from Utah and we are thoroughly enjoying every minute of it!!! It is like Heaven having them here - not just for the kids, but for the Mr. and I too! Our children are loving all the snuggles, stories, and 'horsey' rides, and I am loving the adult conversation, help with the children, and wonderful company! I only wish their visit would last much longer, but we are taking advantage of our time together and enjoying every minute!

Grins is definitely an Oma's boy! The first day they were here, he asked her to read him a book. One book turned into about twenty (Oma is SO accommodating!), and then after a few games and a LOT of tickles, Grins asked if he could take a nap with Oma. Being the wonderful Grandmother she is, she consented, and from then on he's been hooked. He sets the table and tells everyone where to sit, to be certain he gets to sit by Oma. He asks to sit by her in the car, wants her to read him stories at night, tuck him in, brush his teeth, and even get him up from his nap. It is SO endearing to see the love and adoration he has for her and hope they will always share such a special relationship!

Angel is equally enchanted. She spent over an hour this afternoon, watching Oma work on a sewing project. And the morning after they treated us to dinner at McDonald's (a rare treat!), the first thing Angel wanted to do when she awoke in the morning was make a card for Oma and Opa, thanking them for the fun time.

When Oma came up the stairs the first morning, Wiggles was quiet for about 2 minutes - the longest (wakeful) stretch of quiet I've ever known from her (unless she's doing something mischievous like coloring the walls or painting with my makeup...). She snuggled on my shoulder for a minute or two before walking right into Oma's arms for a big hug, and she hasn't been quiet since! Oma and Opa are SO patient with her incessant singing, shouting, etc!

So far, in addition to their company, we've enjoyed a beautiful walk in the cemetery and ponds and some visits to forts and light houses - even a new one we hadn't yet seen! And we are looking forward to a little family history trip tomorrow!

We are so blessed to have such wonderful family! Thank you for the great times and memories, Oma and Opa! Can we possibly talk you into a few more days (weeks?!) You will be missed!!!

Little Sweetheart

As I've mentioned before, Wiggles loves praying. Up until this point, however, her prayers have simply consisted of repeating what we whisper to her, usually to the effect of "Heavenly Father, we thank Thee for this day. We thank Thee for this food. We ask Thee to bless it, to nourish and strengthen our bodies. Please help us to be kind, and to do what is right. In Jesus' name, Amen." She has gotten to the point where she can repeat this almost verbatim, and generally does just that (though usually she prefers the helpful promptings). Even her elder brother and sister often repeat very similar prayers, and we are constantly encouraging them to try to add new or different things to their prayers. Still, when Wiggles prays, you always know exactly what you'll get.

Until yesterday, that is, when she mixed things up a bit. At breakfast (The Mr. was already at school) I went through my normal promptings and she repeated everything beautifully. Until the end. When I started to say "In the name..." she cut me off and said "No, Mommy! Bless Daddy!"

"OK" I said, a little surprised but willing to follow her lead, "Please bless Daddy, in the name..."

"No! Bless Daddy on his BIKE!"

"OK, Please bless Daddy on his bike, in the name..."

"No! Please bless Daddy on his bike - SAFE!"

(Impressed at her detail and this new change of events!) "OK, Please bless Daddy to be SAFE on his bike....anything else?"

"Daddy on his bike, safe on the ROAD! Name of Jesus Christ, AMEN!"

The kids and I had a good laugh about that, but the Mr. was just thrilled when we relayed the story to him later. What a sweet and thoughtful little Wiggles!

I LOVE (and, at times, loathe!) her ever-evolving independence! And she is now at one of my most favorite stages - the one I affectionately refer to as "Kids Say the Darndest Things!"

This morning she was snuggling in my bed when I asked "Are you my little snuggle-bug?" to which she responded "No! I'm just a widdow gowo (little girl)!"

Every time she is struggling to do something on her own, I'll ask "(Wiggles), can I help you?" to which she always responds "No! I'm fine!" (I have a video of this - can anyone tell me how to post it???)

MY FAVORITE: Yesterday, a man at church asked her how old she was, and she simply responded "18 muntz." I could scarcely believe my ears - I have never heard her say this before, but what's more, I haven't told anyone that for several months; I usually just respond that she's "Almost 2" or "2 in November" when questioned....so that's something she's had up her sleeve for quite awhile and probably just never had the occasion to use it until now. I found that hilarious.

Ah, I love my children. They bring such joy - and laughter! - into my life, each day!

First Love

(Unrelated, but this is one of my favorite pictures of Grins. Could he be any sweeter?)

Grins has the special opportunity of being surrounded by girls - besides his older and younger sisters, he is the only boy in his church class, the only boy in his preschool class....the only boy - his age - we know. As a result, all of his friends are girls. Which he doesn't mind one bit, and which has never seemed to make any difference to him.

Today he was priviledged to play with one of his sweet little friends named Chloe. We had a playdate with her this past weekend when she stayed over late while her parents were out, and the two of them were up long past their older siblings (11pm!), giggling and whispering together, despite my many efforts to get them to sleep! Apparently they had a lot of fun together again today, because on the way home we had the following conversation:

Grins: Chloe is my best friend. I actually think I am falling love with her.

Me: Well, it's great to have friends and she's a very nice girl. I'm glad you care so much about her.

Grins: Well, I actually want to marry her. Is there a temple in Maine?

Me (trying to be serious): No, not yet. The nearest one is in Boston, Massachusetts. Remember, that's where I went last weekend....

Grins: Well, I want to move to Boston, Massachusetts.

Me: Why? (Trying to see how far this would go...)

Grins: So I can take Chloe to the temple and marry her.

Me: Well, why don't you just be her friend right now, and think about getting married when you're much older. I would miss you too much if you ran off and got married right now!

Grins: Well, OK. But I definitely want to go to her house again.

Me: That sounds great. We'll make it happen soon.

Where does he come up with this? Why are my children going so fast???!! What a sweet little thing, this lover boy of mine! He'll make some woman very happy some day.....but for the time being, he makes me SO happy EVERY day! I am SUCH a lucky woman!

Wayne, Maine

The little town of Wayne quickly jumped to the top of our 'favorite places in Maine' list this past month. (By the way, don't you think the name 'Wayne, Maine' has a nice little ring to it? Every time I say it, I'm reminded of a line from a song in "My Fair Lady" - "The rain in Spain falls mainly on the pla-ain"......but I digress.)

Our dear friend Bea, at the invitation of her very kind friends the O'Malleys, invited us to spend the week at the O'Malley family camp on Lake Androscoggin. It sounded fun, but we had no idea just how MUCH fun it would be! Beyond it being the first (and much-needed) break since before our big move, and an incredibly beautiful setting, what made the trip most rewarding were the beautiful people we were fortunate to spend time with. Though we were strangers, the O'Malleys and their family welcomed us AND our children(!) with warm hospitality and open arms. They were amazingly patient and attentive with our children, incredibly kind, wondeful chefs (Turkish food! Yum!) and we enjoyed great conversation and company with them! It felt like a little bit of home! Add that to the awe-inspiring view of the lake, the quiet, peaceful serenity of the setting, the opportunity to swim/boat/play in the sand/read/relax/etc all day, and the extra warm weather (allowing us to enjoy the water!), and it was a week of heaven for our family. Pure bliss.

Our children took to the water almost immediately. Wiggles loved the water but was mostly content to simply sit on the sand with her bucket and shovel. Grins entered slowly, with a bit of trepidation at the beginning, but towards the end of our visit was even jumping off the dock on his own! (Wearing a life jacket, of course. As a side note, just so I can remind him someday, I LOVE that he has no qualms about wearing the pink, flowery life jacket. I hope he will always choose what he likes without feeding into silly societal mores.) Angel was a 'water baby' from day 1, but surprised us all with her stamina! She swam across the lake to 'Seagull Island', a little collection of rocks on the other side of the lake (with the help of a life jacket, but still, a LONG way!) And, on the final day of our stay, after we had ventured into town for an ice cream cone and visit to the library, she and the Mr. even swam the entire distance back to camp from town, which equated to quite a distance! Seeing their rapid progress and their intense love for the water made me long to just abandon all reason and move there forever. Or at least, instilled within me a dream of someday living on a lake. It was that great.

The Mr. and I had just as much fun as the children. One day, after several hours of swimming, Angel and the Mr. were floating lazily around in the water when he commented to me, "I feel like I should be doing something. It feels wrong to be this unproductive." to which I replied, "Your children are actually spending time with you - AWAKE - a rare treat for us! This relationship-building, memory making time is entirely productive!" And we proceeded to enjoy it as such without the least bit of guilt. Mostly. :)

It was the picture perfect vacation, except of course for the minor fatality we experienced: our camera. (In my ultra-relaxed state I failed to remember the camera in my pocket before diving into the lake...and the camera didn't appreciate the several hour lengthy submersion in lake water.) Fortunately, Bea got some beautiful shots (she is amazing! Thank you Bea!), so our trip was not entirely un-documented. All in all, it was a week of precious moments during which many friendships were forged and life-long memories made. We are so grateful to the O'Malleys & family and Bea for thoughtfully including us in such a grand time!

Today

Get: laundry in, dishes out, beds made, breakfast on, breakfast cleaned, them bathed & clothed, our teeth brushed & hair done, lunches packed, us out the door, her on the bus, her off to school, him to preschool, her to nap, them fed lunch, lunch cleaned up, laundry out & put away, his owie kissed, the yard cleaned up, his reading lessons, his bike tire pumped, her home from school, after-school snack, hear about her day, house cleaned, books read, homework done, dinner on, them fed, dishes in, kitchen cleaned, house cleaned again, their teeth brushed and jammies on, them in bed, books read, them to sleep,..........and I wouldn't have it any other way! :)