Portland Children's Museum

A friend of ours invited us to the Children's Museum one day - and we had SO much fun! Even after 5 hours, it was hard to pull the kids away!

One of our first activities was to visit the Theatre. While there, Angel and Grins starred as the First and Second Little Pigs in an inhouse, impromptu production of The Three Little Pigs. Naturally, they were fabulous!

Since we are in Maine, the Children's Museum would not be complete without a Lighthouse! Angel was just the right height; in order to get a 'group shot', Angel had to hold Wiggles up - a tricky feat indeed!

Of course, what Children's Museum would be complete without a market in which to go shopping? But this grocery store had an ATM from which the children can really withdraw 'money' with a debit card! Angel in particular couldn't get enough of such a 'grownup' activity!

There is a DARLING exhibit with a boat (which rocks!) which the kids can 'drive', and traps in which they can catch lobsters, crabs, and more! The kids thought this was great fun!

Man Overboard.....

Wiggles fell in LOVE with this little car and spent quite a bit of time in it! She also became quite possessive when any other children expressed interest (but don't worry; like a good mother, I encouraged her to share and, for the most part, she did very well!) Towards the end of our day, when naptime had long since passed, she tried to nap on the seat of the car. (I apologize for the blurry pictures; my cell phone does not capture Wiggles' perpetual motion very clearly!)

These 2 spent over an hour in the Fire Truck! They drove, played the sirens, slid down the pole, hooked up the water hose....and then started all over again! Grins had SO much fun 'calling 9-1-1' on the phone in the exhibit (set up for this purpose; it has a voice recording of a 911 operator! Very clever!) I finally had to encourage them to try exploring another area of the museum because I couldn't contain Wiggles for another minute!

I didn't even get pictures of us in the Farm, learning about the Camera Obscura, making lumber, going on a 'nature hike', or watching the star show. All in all, I would say we had a great day! I'm thinking a Museum Pass may be a good investment....

Rock Sale

Apparently, our recent discussion about saving money to purchase airplane tickets to visit our loved ones across the country made an impression on Angel. Unbeknownst to me, her little mind has been hard at work devising entrepreneurial plans for how to make money for nothing (since, let's face it, what 6 year old has a lot to invest in starting up a business?)

One day she mentioned to me in passing that we should have a 'rock sale' since we have so many rocks in our yard for which we have no real need. (She was probably remembering the time when, just about to mow the lawn, I told the kids I'd give them one penny for each rock they collected, simply to get them out of the grass...) I must have responded with some enthusiasm, because a few days later, she took me outside to show me the fruits of her labors: she had set up shop in our driveway!

I couldn't help but smile and even get a little teary eyed that my little Angel is growing up so fast. When did she go from a baby, whose very steps I had to coax and direct, into a young lady with her own little clever ideas and very creative spelling? Adorable.

I did purchase some rocks from her, as I was needing some for a project I was working on (Easter in an Eggshell). After that, she said "Mommy, let's go outside, to wait for all the people that will come to the rock sale!" She was so eager and excited about it that I didn't have the

heart to tell her no one else would be coming....so I simply explained that, since we live on a very quiet street, and it was the middle of the day on a weekday, we may have more success later, especially if we moved the sale to a more public location and included a greater variety of

merchandise (e.g. lemonade or popsicles). She insisted on sitting outside, however, and, though she did not meet with additional success for the first couple of days, Oma and Opa did make a purchase when they came to visit a few days later. So her efforts were not entirely in vain. :)

Clarification

Thank you, everyone, for the very kind words on my previous blog post....but I fear I came across as far more negative than I intended. I do often wrongfully compare myself with others and feel I come up short, but I was simply attempting to turn it around and say that, while I may not enjoy the talents of others, I hope to, in some small way, have my own 'talents' to offer; even if it is just the talent of helping to boost the self esteem of others. So, please forgive me if I came across as whiny, depressed, or unappreciated. Writing is clearly not one of my talents! :)

"Feel Good" blog...

I haven't posted much lately for two reasons. First, my lack of time and unwillingness to lose sleep over blogging. :) Second, my lack of anything exciting to post about.

Often, I peruse through the blogs of family, friends and 'blog celebrities' come away feeling completely discouraged and at how much my blog/parenting/homemaking skills/craftiness/overall life PALES in comparison to theirs. I mean, really, how does "Nie Nie" have more time to blog than I do?! She has one more child than I AND she's trying to grow new skin! I'll I'm growing is a bigger waistline (withOUT a fetus inside!) and a few gray hairs. Ashley from "Make It and Love It" has a new baby and STILL manages to make her house FAR cuter than I could ever dream, for crying out loud. And I'm still trying to hang curtains and paint my reading room. Hmph.

But 'celebrities' aside, even all my "normal" friends are so much more creative, artistic and productive than I! I mean, Jana, who moved months after we did, has done so much painting, decoupaging, and wreath/clock/shelf making I get tired just reading about it! Melissa, who has 3 children the same ages as mine AND works from home is always hosting parties and creating new crafts and tutorials! Amy, whose husband is also a resident and who has FIVE young boys, (one of whom demands extra care) is off ice fishing, boat-making, and sewing matching bow ties.....I could go on all night.

Clearly, I know how to pick my friends - they are AWESOME! Still, I must admit that lately, I either avoid reading other peoples' blogs, or I exhaust myself wondering why it is that I fail so miserably as a homemaker; why my windows are always covered with smudgy fingerprints, my list of 'to-do' projects is longer than my arm, and why my home will never even look like a Walmart ad, nevermind Potter Barn.

And then I remember. I am not the friend everyone envies (or fails miserably to live up to). I'm not the one with the perfect figure, the angel children, or the immaculate and beautiful home. I'm the friend who gives her friends a confidence boost; when you learn all about my work-in-progress home and life, you'll feel pretty darn good about yourself. And you know what? If my boring and unkempt little life/blog serves at least that purpose, I'm OK with that.

*ETA: In no way do I mean any of the lovely ladies mentioned in this post any harm or disrespect, or to suggest that they are flaunting their accomplishments. They are wonderful ladies, simply doing their best (which just happens to be leaps and bounds better than my personal best...) These are merely my introspections at coming to grips with never measuring up - and recognizing my own Divine nature and individual worth...

Unplugged...

We are offline this week, in observance of:We are turning off our screens and turning on LIFE! :) Posting will resume April 25th.

Welcome West Coast Guests

Last month, we were fortunate enough to get a visit from Grandma, Grandpa and Aunt Abbie, from all the way across the country; Portland, Oregon! Though not NEARLY long enough, their visit was a little bit of Heaven for all of us! (As luck would have it, my newly repaired camera arrived the day they left for home....so our adventures were all documented with a lovely assortment of high quality cell phone pictures! Enjoy!)

We crammed as much as we could into the short week they were here! We started with a trip to the Portland Children's Museum, where saw the camera obscura, conducted a science experiment, and laughed ourselves to tears as we tried to make a video of us singing a multi-lingual song! Hilarious!!

Next, we visited Mackworth Island where we hiked around the island and learned some history of the city, learned ASL from some deaf children who attend school on the island, and had fun building our own fairy house in the

Fairy Village.

We took a trip to Portland Head Light and explored the ruins at Fort Williams.

Finally, we walked along the Eastern Promenade, saw the Chocolate Moose at Len Libby's, and visited several beaches, where saw and learned a bit more about digging for clams.

After we'd had seen what Portland had to offer, we headed down to Boston for a few days. We enjoyed the Freedom Trail, amazing food (Pizza Regina and some delicious Lobster Rolls at Quincy's Market, and some to-die-for cannolis at Mike's Pastries), and spent an entire day at The Boston Children's Museum.

If you haven't been to the Boston Children's Museum, it is definitely a must-see to add to your list! We spent an entire day there and saw less than half of the rooms!

Grins and Wiggles made it to the top of the 3-story-high climbing web (with Abbie assisting Wiggles), but Angel opted out after the second level, stating that the 'floor was wiggling' which was a bit disconcerting to her.

The museum boasts an exhibit where you use your body to power various things - including pulling yourself up! We had such fun with friendly competitions!

Half a day wasn't NEARLY long enough at the Boston Science Museum, where we could easily have spent a week or more - we will have to plan more time on our next trip to Boston!

Wiggles kept spinning until she was so dizzy she could hardly stand; quite entertaining to all those around her!

Angel enjoyed putting together a model of a human body.

Unfortunately I didn't get pictures of our visits to the USS Constitution (where Wiggles wooed the guard with her blonde curls which earned us a rare priviledge), the Bunker Hill Monument (where the children each climbed the nearly 300 stairs independently!), Boston Common, and, most exciting for the children, a Hotel with a POOL!

(I didn't get any shots of us swimming but how cute is Angel, walking down the hall in her towel and boots?! She wanted to swim every waking moment - before anyone else was even awake!)

Through all the sight-seeing, late nights and few naps, the kids held up remarkably well (although we did wear Wiggles and Grandpa out, as was evidenced by them napping in the hall!)

When we dropped our guests off at the airport and bid them farewell, Angel broke down sobbing, and cried for much of the (2 hour) drive home! She said she missed them already, and the following conversation ensued:

Angel: Can we please go back to Oregon with them? Why did we have to move all the way out here to Maine where there are no grandparents or cousins?!

Me: Well, we need to purchase some airplane tickets before we can get on the plane.

Angel: Let's buy some right now, please?!

Me: Airplane tickets cost quite a bit of money; it will take us some time to save enough money for our whole family to go.

Angel: How am I supposed to earn money for plane tickets? I don't have a job, and I don't earn very much for allowance because I don't like doing chores!

Me: Well, you can help ME save the money by not asking for lots of extra things every time we go to the store. Extra toys, treats and trips to restaurants may not cost a lot by themselves, but they add up. Maybe each time we see something we really want, we can put the money we would spend on it into a special "Airplane ticket fund" instead. Does that sound like a good way for you to help save up?

Angel: Yes. That sounds great.

(half an hour later, on the way home)

Me: We need to stop at COSTCO to get some groceries and get gas.

Angel: No! We can't spend any money! We have to save it all for the airplane tickets!!!

Me (chuckling): Wow! You were listening??!!

Oma and Opa

Last month, we enjoyed a brief but lovely visit from Oma and Opa. Grins in particular enjoyed all of the attention! He got to play ball, frisbee, and "pillow egg" (hitting a plastic egg with the pillow) with Opa, and it was pretty much Heaven on Earth for Grins (and me!)

Though it had only been 6 months since their last visit, Wiggles had a hard time remembering it....when I said "We are going to go see Oma and Opa!" Wiggles said "On the computer?" I explained that no, they would be here in front of us, and she said "On the phone?" It made me laugh to realize my children are growing up in an entirely different world than I did!

Once Oma and Opa arrived, however, Wiggles remembered them right away, and couldn't get enough of their snuggles! I am so grateful that my children have been blessed with such wonderful grandparents, and that we've been blessed with the opportunity to see them twice since we've moved so far away!

Awesome Sarah Taylor Designs Giveaway

With Mother's Day coming up, there couldn't be a more perfect time for the giveaway Becca, over at Four Red Chairs, is hosting!

I've been wanting a 'mommy' necklace since I became a mother 6 years ago! Man, I have got my eye on some of these lovely ones.... you can check the giveaway out here! But hurry - it ends April 20th! :)

It's a boy!!!

Well, Grins has been asking for a baby brother for nearly 2 years now, and it appears his wish is finally coming true. We are looking forward to this little one's arrival sometime around July 8th - and we couldn't be more thrilled! :)

APRIL FOOLS!

Boys and Bras

Disclaimer: Do not read if you are easily offended or embarrassed at the mention of human body parts.

Last night, Grins was helping me fold the laundry, as he often loves to do. When he came across my unmentionables, he informed me that Wahl-E wore a bra on his head. (Thank you Disney/Pixar, as if children need encouragement in such antics.) He then informed me that Mrs. Incredible doesn't wear a bra. "Really?" I asked, "How do you know?" To which he replied "Her chests bounce when she runs."

"Please bless Daddy..."

For the past two weeks, the Mr. has been working 'Night Float', which means he goes to the hospital at 4:30pm and returns at 8:30am in the morning. If you do the math, that means he has 8 hours to eat, shower, and sleep before he has to head back to work. He's been trying to sleep less so that he can squeeze a little family time in - but even getting 6 hours of sleep a day, he still ends up sleeping most of the day and, as a result, we haven't seen much of him for the past few weeks.

Tonight, Grins' solved the we-miss-Daddy dilemma in his bedtime prayer, when he said "Please bless Daddy to have a good night a work, and please bless all of his patients to get better soon so he won't have to go to work anymore."

Why didn't I think of that?

Sledding

This New England winter has taken some adjustment on my part. It has been long, cold, and, at times, dreary. But once I finally stopped complaining about how much time I was spending shoveling, and got over how cold it was, I decided that, since winter was here to stay (for awhile, at least), we might as well enjoy it!

So, we began sledding several times a week. Wiggles is actually much more courageous than either of my others were at her age - she may have a look of terror on her face while going down the hill, but it's usually accompanied by frantic laughter, and she often asks to go again! She usually only goes down a few times, as opposed to Angel and Grins who would probably NEVER choose to stop on their own. Even after hours of sledding, and after their gloves/boots/snow gear have long since soaked through, it still takes every ounce of coersion / negotiation / threats / even bribery (!) to get them to call it a day when they are sledding. It is just THAT fun. We've tried the cemetary near our house, Payson Park, and a neighbor's hill, but the favorite destination is the hill behind Angel's school (where these pictures were taken). While I may complain about the New England extremes in temperatures, I will say that you can't go sledding every day in Hawaii! :)

CSN Store Review

Awhile back, I posted about CSN stores - a network of over 200 stores, conveniently captured on one main website. They have everything from swing sets to wall clocks to bed linens and more! Truly amazing what you can find - I think I've spent hours perusing all they have to offer, and just scratched the surface!

I was asked to do a review on a purchase from CSN stores. I purchased a shaker oak bench:

The bench arrived in about 5 business days, as expected. It arrived packaged very well, in excellent condition. I was actually very impressed with the quality of the bench for the price - nice, solid wood, and a well-constructed piece of furniture. Some minor assembly was required, and the instructions made it easy for me (and Grins) to complete in less than 5 minutes. The bench was larger than I had anticipated (the measurements listed in the item description were accurate, but it was bigger than I had visualized....one of the major downfalls to online shopping.) But, as I said, good condition and quality. Overall, I was happy with my purchase and my dealings with CSNstores were positive. The only thing I would mention to 'be aware' of when shopping with CSN stores: they advertise "hassle-free returns" which may be true (I haven't had to test it because I was happy with my purchase)- but when I looked into their return policy I realized that, at least on items with free shipping, you have to pay for shipping (both ways) if you return the item....so if you purchased an item for $20 that shipped to you for free, but then decided to return it, you would end up getting only about $5 dollars credited back to you, once they subtracted the initial and return postage from your $20 purchase. Not that I fault them for doing this - but returns are certainly not 'risk-free' and you don't get all your money back - so keep that in mind when ordering!

Overall, though, I would definitely order from CSN stores again!

Captain "Ramoni"

Today Grins said "I want to hold my scriptures, wear a cape, and carry a sign, so I can be like Captain Ramoni (Moroni). Will you help me write the sign, please?"

"Sure!" I agreed. "What should it say?"

He brought me a paper and a dowel, dictated the following to me, word for word (in case you can't read the sign): "The one who I love best is my family. The second one who I love is Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father." Then he instructed me on how to tape the sign together. (And notice the spiderman cape he is wearing....)

Where does he come up with this stuff? Man, I love this kid!!!

Melting snow

Well, after 4 long months of dreary gray skies, sub-zero temperatures, and more snow than I've probably ever seen in all my years combined (seriously!), the SUN is starting to shine! It is magnificent and brings me more pleasure than I ever would have imagined. I realize now how I've taken the sun for granted - I suddenly feel invigorated by it's presence (though, ironically, in the summer heat my energy is zapped! But that's another story...)

Anyhow, when you mix warm sun with snow, the result is - you guessed it - water. Lots of water.
This is the parking lot through which we walk twice a day taking Angel to and from school. The monstrosity of the puddles is hard to capture in photographs - it covers the kids boots in some parts! But, we don our boots (aka puddle jumpers) and raincoats, and the children never tire of splashing / jumping / stamping / running through the puddles, despite the consistently resulting SOAKING WET socks, pants and feet. Ah, the simple pleasures in life. (Of course, I'm dreading when the ground below is no longer frozen and all this water mixes with the soil - MUD splashing is far less enjoyable to clean up than water! So I will enjoy the puddles of melted snow while they last!!)

"Dark Fayter"

Since we've never seen/read/watched or even discussed Star Wars, Luke Skywalker, or The Force, or anything remotely related to it, I have no idea where this new obsession has come from. All I know is that boys have ways of discovering wars and weapons one way or another....

Step aside, Thomas the Tank Engine; Grins' latest interest is Darth Vader.

Suddenly, my little arts and crafts-opposed son is drawing and sculpting masterpieces! A few weeks ago, Grins began drawing "Dark Fayter" as he

calls him - even in church, when he's supposed to draw 'church' related pictures. Last week the playdoh turned into Darth Vader and a red "life saver", and last night as we were writing letters to Aunt Abbie (at

outdoor school), the topic came up yet again. I don't know how long this phase will last, and to be honest, I'm not entirely thrilled with it, but I know it is near and dear to Grins' heart because I haven't seen him this interested in drawing, sculpting or writing since....well, ever!

So, while I can think of things I'd rather have him drawing and writing about, I am always happy to see my children discover a passion - and, though Darth Vader is from "The Dark Side", it seems harmless enough. And, as I've learned with my children, "it's just a phase!"

My tender-hearted son

This evening Grins joined me and some Young Women as we went around visiting some of the less-active Young Women in our ward. We decided to stop in and see a woman whose fiance passed away just last night. It is such a sad situation - they were to be married in a month or two, but unfortunately he suddenly fell ill and had died within just a few days. We sat and talked to her for quite awhile, during which Grins whispered in my ear (more than once) if we could please go home. It was somewhat of a depressing scene and conversation, and I suppose he must have felt uncomfortable. But he continued to wait (fairly) patiently as we spoke with and listened to her.

Later, as I tucked him into bed, in his prayers he asked "Please bless Sister....what's the lady's name again that plays the piano in our church?...Please bless her that you can give her back her husband....." It brought tears to my eyes to hear such a sweet, thoughtful little request. What a gem - he is so thoughtful and tender-hearted! I love my little boy.

Carousel

The other day while running errands, Wiggles and Grins had such awesome behavior at the mall that we decided they had earned a little go-around on the carousel! At the end, the woman stamped their hand, and Wiggles said "Look! I have a tattoo!" It was so cute! Man, I love my kids! I spend (almost) every moment of every day with them, and I still can't get enough!

(These pics from my phone aren't the best, but I think my kids look cute any time, anywhere! :)

Food

Last month, I decided to elimiate sugar from my diet for one month. I find that the easiest way to 'eliminate' something from my diet is merely to focus on ADDING more enriching foods, rather than focus on what we are avoiding. The kids have done remarkably well with this.
For instance, at breakfast one morning, I made crepes (a weekly family favorite that I feel is relatively healthy when I use whole wheat flour and don't add sugar). The kids asked why there was no cinnamon & sugar or maple syrup. I explained that I just didn't feel right about feeding "plain, old, nutritionally empty" sugar to my children, whom I love so dearly, and who are growing; that I felt much better about feeing them fruits and vegetables which are RICH in vitamins and nutrients. They embraced my explanation and said "Thank you, Mommy!", and we all thoroughly enjoyed our fruit and (plain) yogurt topped crepes! Grins has since added "thank you for the very nourishing fruits and vegetables" in his mealtime prayers - so sweet! :)
Through this little 'experiment', I have realized that we weren't eating NEARLY enough vegetables and fruits - I was getting nearly 5 a day but have now been aiming for 9. Although my children like most vegetables, 9 servings a day has seemed excessive at times, so I've found sneaking vegetables into smoothies to be enormously effective! I began making green smoothies (spinach, plain yogurt, banana, and any other fruit I may have lying around), and we have all very much enjoyed them.

Yesterday, though, we were out of spinach, so I simply made a strawberry-banana-carrot smoothie. Angel said "Mom! What on earth is that pink stuff?" When I explained that it was a smoothie, she exclaimed, "Ha! Who has ever heard of a PINK smoothie? They are supposed to be green!"
I had to laugh...what a cutie! And, since I don't often photograph my food, here's a picture of Angel this morning on her way to school...she insisted on wearing a hat, sunglasses, and a beaded necklace, as if she were a little rock star. This girl does give me a 'run for my money' so to speak (come to think of it, both of my girls do!) but she is oh so worth every bit of it! How I love my little Angel!

Birthday Traditions

My birthday this year started out great! Keeping with tradition, I got my favorite cereal (Cracklin' Oat Bran.....try it, just don't look at the nutrition info ;) ) at the store the night before (yes, I bought it myself, wrapped it up, and gave it to the Mr. to give to me. I have done this with all my gifts since the Mr. started residency. Just because he's gone all the time and doesn't have a moment to go shopping doesn't mean a girl can't still get gifts, am I right?!)

Anyhow, I was looking forward to the cereal the morning but the Mr. was already gone (he usually leaves before the rest of us get up (before 6am!), the poor dear!) Not to worry, Angel saved the day! She WOKE me up to sing "Happy Birthday" (I had to laugh - little did she know that what I wanted MOST was just a few more minutes of sleep!) and then said "Mommy, stay in bed. I'll be back in a few minutes with a surprise."

I must admit I was a little nervous as I heard the refrigerator door open and shut, the stool being dragged (or drug?) across the floor, and the clinking of glass...but I enjoyed the moment nevertheless. When she entered my room carrying the following little tray (complete with a glass of milk, a cinnamon roll, a bowl of cereal and milk, and the cutest little detail of a little ring pop looped around the spoon handle) my eyes welled up with tears at the sight of my little baby, now grown up enough to bring me breakfast in bed, entirely on her own! It was beautiful.

I proceeded to enjoy every bite (sharing with the kids, of course) without even worrying about the mess I assumed I'd have to clean up later. So, imagine my surprise when, after thoroughly enjoying my breakfast in bed, I took my dishes into a CLEAN kitchen.....Yes, she had put the milk and cereal away, wiped the cupboards, and left things just as neat as I'd left them the night before. WOW! It just doesn't get any better than this! What a fortunate mother I am to have such precious children!

My brother

Since I'm so busy these days and haven't been keeping my blog up as I should, my sweet (writer) baby brother has taken it upon himself to fill in the gaps, as it were. I'm amazed at his accuracy, especially given the 3000+ miles that separate us! :) You can check out his post on his blog here. Enjoy! (I know I did!)

While I put Wiggles down for a nap....

....Grins has fun entertaining himself. Usually it is with a stack of books. Today, however, it would appear my phone's camera seemed much more interesting.

Coolest Mom Award

In case you were wondering, I finally earned the 'Coolest Mom Award' this past week....I have just been given the exciting opportunity of serving as the Young Women President in our ward (awesome!) so this past week I was INCREDIBLY busy with organizations/preparations/etc. (I know, the fun is just beginning!) So, one day, I opened up the "sticker drawer" and let the kids 'go at it', hoping to get at least a few minutes of un-interrupted time to work. I ended up getting over an hour! And, when the kids finally came looking for me, this is what I found:

Love

Today, my sweet little Grins said "Mommy, I wish you weren't already married to Daddy, because I want to marry you so bad!" Then, in his night prayers, he asked "Please bless Mommy and Daddy and Angel and Wiggles....but especially Mommy." What a sweet boy. How I adore him!

Angel and I had the following conversation (just a moment or two after she told me I was the meanest mommy in the world and had taught her a bad example by being mean and making her do chores):

A - "Mommy, when I grow up, can I still live with you?"

Me - "Of course, sweetheart!"

A - "Even when I go to college?"

Me - "Sure, that would be great."

A - "Even when I get married?"

Me - "Yes of course, if you want to. But you may want your own house by then."

A - "No way. I want to live with you forever, even until I'm old and die, and even after I die, I want to live together in Heaven."

What a darling girl! I hope she always feels this way, because I know I'll always want her near me! I can't imagine how my mother must have felt letting me cross an ocean to attend college at the ripe old age of 17....I miss this girl when she's at school for 6 hours! If they could just stay little!

Wiggles is at a most delightful age. I love all the ages and stages my children are in, but I think that her age is my favorite right now. The Mr. tells me all the time that she has me wrapped around her little finger....and I know it's true. But how I can I resist? She is just delicious. Each night, after I put her down, I finish the dishes and then come check my email. As I'm sitting at the computer I hear a little pitter-patter and then "Mommy. Are you yooking at the computer? Mommy, yook at me." If the Mr. is around, he will sternly say "Wiggles!" and, at the sound of his voice, the little, tiny footsteps run back to bed. But if it's just me, I look back at her little profile (the round forehead and chubby cheeks are accentuated in the dark) and can't resist picking her up, snuggling her, taking her back her bedroom where I rock her and sing to her until long past she's fallen asleep, just because I love holding her. When she's awake, she's so busy and can't sit still long enough to snuggle me for more than a second or two, so when she's sleeping in my arms, I can't get enough. No wonder my house is such a mess; Who can clean when the alternative is holding/rocking/snuggling such a wonder?

This evening, as I was putting away the stack of books that had accumulated around the house during the day, I was, at first, marveling at how many books we read each day! Although we pick up several times a day, each night I still manage to collect a large pile (tonight: 23) from around the house. As I sat at the bookshelf, putting them away, I imagined myself, a few short years from now (when we are empty nesters), having only 1 or 2 books to put away at night; the books the Mr. and I had read that day. And tears filled my eyes. I can't even begin to describe the joy that fills my heart at being able to love and serve these choice, precious children that are in my home, entrusted to my care. As much as I complain that I am always cleaning but never seem to have a clean house, as cliche as it sounds, I would truly not have it any other way! It reminds me of the poem (I'm sure you've read it before, but it never gets old to me):

Fingerprints

(author unknown)

Sometimes you get discouraged

because I am so small,

and I leave my little fingerprints

on furniture and walls.

But every day I'm growing,

and soon will be so tall

That all these little fingerprints

will be difficult to recall.

So here's a little handprint

that you can put away

So you'll remember how my fingers looked

on this special day.

This is how I feel (almost) every day. I am trying to, amidst the busy-ness, soak in every moment with my three little loves. They mean the world to me, and I want so badly to give the world to them, but I have to remember to do it one day - one moment - at a time. Please, please, time, stand still. Let me cherish them just a little bit longer....please!

Who is teaching whom?

This evening, as with most every night, Wiggles refused to lay down in her bed. I rocked her, read to her, sang to her, prayed with her, tucked 'Julianna', 'Cinderella', 'Tiny Baby' and 'Lambie' all in beside her, tucked the blankets snuggly around her - and she continued to sit up, despite my many efforts to lay her down. Frustrated, I finally said (firmly and perhaps a little too impatiently), "(Wiggles) lay down right now!" She calmly stated "Mommy, I'm not gonna yay down when you talk just yike that!" Sufficiently reprimanded, I politely asked, "(Wiggles), will you please lay down?" To which she responded "Yes! That's a very good word!" and promptly laid down. Unfortunately it only lasted a second or two, and she was sitting up and we were starting all over again - but the reminder was just what I needed to remain calm as I put her to bed! :) ..........oops, I was going to post a picture but I just heard her hop out of bed again....duty calls, patience in check.

Shoo....

Angel had a Dr. appt this morning and by the time we were nearing home a blizzard was in full force so I let her stay home from school the rest of the day. When they aren't at eachother's throats, these 2 (Angel and Grins) just can't get enough of one another. They were joking and giggling during lunch. They were snuggling and laughing while I was trying to get Wiggles to sleep. Though I am often tempted to choose frustration at their disregard for my constant 'quiet, please!' reminders, I try to remind myself what a joy it is to see them happily loving and enjoying each other.

I was trying to tidy up the kitchen and living room, make dinner, etc, and my older 2 were constantly getting in the way and making MORE messes, setting me further behind. I could see that I was not going to get anywhere with them around, and my efforts to get them to pitch in had been a complete failure, so I finally said, "Will you both please just go downstairs?" When they lingered, I finally waved my arms at them and said, "Shoo!"

Angel looked up at me and said, "Mom! You can't treat us like dogs!"

Singing

One of these days I will figure out how to post a video on here and then you will all be able to enjoy Wiggles' singing. For now, though, I just have to note (so I never forget) how much this girl loves to sing, and how much music means to her!

Sunday, on the way home from church, she was INCREDIBLY cranky, as she was extremely short on sleep (short nap + late bedtime + waking up at 5 am = not enough rest!!!) She started to fuss the moment we buckled her into her seat, and probably would have whined/complained/cried and carried on the entire 20 minute drive, but fortunately I remembered to redirect her in the way of music. (Her voice is SO much sweeter singing than screaming, let me tell you!)

She was too tired to come up with new songs on her own, so I recommended songs and she would sing the ones she wanted to. Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star, all 5 verses of Where Is Thumbkin, One Little Finger, Open, Shut Them, I Love To See The Temple and The Chapel Doors and Popcorn Popping were all winners. If You're Happy And You Know It was not. (If I mentioned it, she started crying - but all the rest cheered her up. Ironic.)

She sang all of them by herself and it was beautiful. It is so tender, so innocent, and so pure. I truly don't think there is any sweeter, more delicious sound to my ears than my sweet Wiggles singing. It is, as they say, music to my ears.