A Day in the Car...

I was going to entitle this...A Day in the Life, but then I realized it would be more aptly titled A Day in the Car because that is essentially where I spend my life somedays.

Take Wednesday for example...a relatively ridiculous day of driving in circles -- most of the trips were absolutely necessary -- and one I'll chalk up to dizziness (from driving in circles, not my state of mind -- although Cal might choose to differ :) )

After sending my kids off in the morning with our carpool driver (one trip to school I didn't have to make) -- my day went as follows...

Drive to the gym for an excercise class -- drive home.
Home for 45 minutes.
Drive to a meeting.  After the meeting, drive to Cal's office to sign and notarize refinancing papers.  Drive home to pick up said papers from the dining room table where I left them. (Not cool!)  Drive back to Cal's office.  Sign papers. Drive home.
Home for 45 minutes.
Drive to school to help paint paper mache' animals for Carter's zoo day.  After painting, drive to another meeting.  Drive home.
Home for 45 minutes.
Drive to school to pick up kids.
Home for an hour.
Drive to school to pick up Paige & friend after basketball practice.
Drop Paige off at home for piano lesson where the teacher is waiting.
Drive the friend to her home.  Drive to my home.
Home for 30 minutes.
Drive to church for girl's club - drive home.
Home for an hour.
Drive back to church to retrieve Paige.
Home for the night!!

Days like this drive me crazy -- too much time between appointments to sit around a waste, not enough to really make the trip home worthwhile, but where else do you go?

So can you blame me for being a little dizzy ?!?

Love Abounds

I haven’t posted a blog for so long it’s almost hard to start up again. But tonight I am sitting in a hotel room for the fourth night in a row – bored and alone…I’ve watched more TV in the last 3 nights than I have for a month, my book isn’t grabbing me, and work has consumed me all day and I don’t feel like working anymore.

My husband is handling the whirlwind of 3 kids graciously on his own this week. The reports from home have been good. He’s leaving work early every day to manage the after school carpool, run Taryn to dance, Paige to basketball & Carter to basketball. My co-workers have said – “Oh he will appreciate you so much more after this week.” That might be true, but right now, I appreciate him so much! Thanks honey!

So what to write about after so much time away from my blog…I have many thoughts racing through my head, but the thought that I have been overwhelmed with lately is the steadfast faithfulness of God.

Two weeks ago my brother got married.  It was a grand event in every sense of the word – stunning bride, beautiful location, lush flowers, unbelievable food...but most importantly it was grand because of the love they share.  My new sister, Mia, was all choked up while she was reciting her vows which, of course, caused the rest of us to tear up as well. But I realized how much she really loves my brother.  What more could I ask for?

The best parts of the event for me was spending time with the people who surrounded the happy couple with their show of love and support.  At the age of 37, my brother, Luke, is the last of our generation on either side of my relatives to get married. And almost everyone showed up for this long awaited event....aunts, uncles, cousins, long-time family friends. We were surrounded by those people in our lives who helped shape us as kids.   People I see far too seldom at this point in my life because we are spread across many miles and many states and at this stage of life are busy with our own families.

But these are people I love dearly and who love me back. Our love for each other, in many ways, is based simply on the fact that we belong to one another. My history with most of them begins at my birth. Aside from my younger cousins, they were around before I was born…supporting my parents…welcoming me.

My eldest aunt who lives in Chicago just turned 70. (She paints a whole new picture in my mind of how young 70 is.) She pulled me aside at the reception and said – “I’m just going to call you sometime, out of the blue, to keep in touch.” I would love that. I hope she does.

It was a great time to reconnect – even if it was just out on the dance floor getting’ down to Foot Loose or a exchanging a simple “You look great! Your kids are so big!” Our presence together that day affirmed that no matter the miles or years that pass, we are still there for each other….showing our support in the momentous occasions of our lives.

And I was struck afresh with what having these people in my life has meant to me.  And I wondered, do they know how weeks of fishing at The Little Norway Resort or weekends camping at Hoffmaster State Park or celebrating Christmas on the farm or working at the Leader Café made me who I am today? Do they know that the laughter shared over silly pranks and old family stories filled me with happiness? Do they know that the times we worshipped together at each others’ churches and our grandparents’ church rooted me even deeper in my faith? Do they know how proud I am to call them my family?

As I looked over this group of loved ones, I was even more deeply moved by God’s faithfulness to us all. Not that we haven’t had hardships amongst us – during the weekend I also shed tears with my youngest aunt from Tuscon while we talked about her daughter who is bravely fighting cancer and my other aunt who is recovering from a stroke. Yet through every challenge we have faced over the years, God has been faithful. He has been our rock and our fortress. There is not a cousin, aunt or uncle amongst us who does not place their hope in the Lord. How awesome is that?

Missing from this celebration were our grandparents. They have all gone on to heaven. I can’t imagine the praises they must sing to God when they look down on the legacy they have left behind -- a family that loves the Lord! I can’t help but sing praises from Psalm 100 myself, “For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.”

So thank you Luke, for getting married. It was a day filled with love...yours & Mia's...and so much more.

My View

People (including myself) sometimes wonder why we choose to live in the great state of South Dakota.  It is a relatively barren state, boasting a total population of 812 thousand people.  That's right, the entire state doesn't hit one million.  For pity's sake, we only have one area code state-wide.  When we lived in Chicago, there were three area codes just for the metro area.  But then again, I think the population of our  immediate north-side neighborhood in Chicago rivaled my entire now home-state.  And while South Dakota does have bragging rights to Mount Rushmore and the Black Hills, they are, unfortunately, a 5 hour drive through nothing from my home.  And the winters...well...that is when I threaten to move.

Of course, it's our wonderful family and friends that keep us here, as well as the Christian School that our kids attend and our church.  Logical or not, South Dakota is home and I wouldn't trade it. 

And here's one more thing I would miss if we moved ... my view of the sky.  I find such peace in feasting my eyes on nothing but the horizon or gazing up at the bright stars at night.  I get a true sense of my smallness and God's greatness.
In an effort to help you appreciate what I'm talking about, here are a few of my favorite pictures of the view from my window!



Winter Sunrise



Sun Dogs



Morning Mist

Pointing to Heaven

Goodnight Moon

Goodmorning Moon

Beam me up!

Great is thy Faithfulness

A day of Few Accomplishments

This Labor Day we had nothing planned.  It should have been the perfect day to accomplish MANY projects.

I love days where I plow through and check things off my to-do list ...and then I have days like Monday.

Here's what I accomplished:

Bought a can of Paint
Made Potato Salad
Moved Paint cans out from under the steps.

Now that wouldn't be such a bad list if I had spent 8 hours at work, or if I had decided to veg out and watch a movie for a couple of hours.  But the truth is -- I just spun my wheels and couldn't get anything done.

Granted -- I figure that making potato salad is one of the largest and most cumbersome tasks around.  Yet at least twice a summer I take on this burden.  I don't know if he knows it, but my efforts to slave away peeling potatoes, cutting celery, boiling eggs, cutting onions is one way in which I let my husband know I love him.  He simply LOVES the stuff.  His mom, of course, is the master potato salad maker and I use her recipe -- however, mine never quite turns out the same.  Something about the way she cuts the potatoes or the timing of when she applies the dressing -- I'm not sure, but somehow hers always turns out perfectly moist.   Cal is nice enough though to always to rave about mine.  I think he's just smart enough to know that if he offers the least bit of criticism -- I will quit....forever.

This cumbersome task was not aided by the fact that while I was in the process of peeling potatoes I realized I needed to run out to buy eggs.  Since we now have a Super Target essentially a block away from our house, I chose to run there. (That was a mistake, Target is never a quick15 minute trip...because, of course, I also had to buy some really cool platters that were on clearance.) 

Upon my return I took up the potato salad task again.  It was still slow going as every 15 minutes or so I needed to wash my hands to help braid a My Little Pony's tail, or dress a Polly Pocket, or proof read Paige's homework, or help Cal drill two pieces of wood together.

And then I spent 20 minutes like this --

After standing on our kitchen stool to arrange my newly bought platters on a high shelf in my entry, I picked up the stool to return it to the kitchen and promptly ran one of it's legs through the sheet rock in the entry way wall.  After confessing my mishap to Cal, I went to the kitchen and picked up a baggie filled with pop tabs to put into Taryn's backpack and the pop tabs flew everywhere.  (Yeah... I thought that bag was sealed.)  After picking up that mess, I walked outside to put something away in the garage to discover our driveway is full of garbage and our dog was in the middle of it.  He had managed to open a garbage bag filled with discarded spaghetti and potato salad trash.  There he sat wagging his tail...his snout all red from sauce.  So I began scooping up nasty eggs shells and potato peels and chasing plastic bags across our lawn...there is nothing more awkward than trying to grab a bag that keeps blowing -- I hope the neighbors weren't watching.

And then for my other great accomplishment, I ran to the store to buy a can of paint to touch up the exterior trim of our garage.  After I came home from making this purchase, I decided I should check out what paint I had stored under our steps.  Indeed, the timing of these events was a bit out of order. Wouldn't you know it, I found a 5 gallon bucket and two 1 gallon containers of our exterior paint.  DUH!

Well...I guess some days are like that!

An Inexpensive Day

I'm just plain tired of spending money. (I'm sure my husband is happy to hear that.) I sometimes feel as warn out as the magnetic stripe on my credit card every time I have to hand it over to be swiped again. And I'm not just exhausted by the "things" we need to buy...new school shoes, new clothes, school supplies, lunch account balances, etc. Or the "things" we need to fix...our crashed computer, our broken lawn tractor, our broken toilet & window, my wedding band...that list seems endless as well. I'm talking about all the moola it takes just to entertain the kids for a day.

Last week Tuesday we had a completely open day with nothing to do. One of the last free days of the summer and I wanted to do something fun with the kids, but I didn't feel like spending $50 or more just to keep busy. It seems as if everywhere you go there is an admission fee or ticket cost or someway that I end up handing over my credit card....again!

So we decided to head down to Falls Park. It was a beautiful day -- finally not too hot and humid.  And the falls were roaring after all the rain we've had.  We climbed the rocks and goofed off and had a great time. We also headed to the Downtown library which was recently renovated and found some good books to check out to end the summer with.  I kicked myself for not packing a picnic to eat at the park.  That would have really perfected my "cheap" day.  Instead I did end up spending a little money at Cheds -- a quaint little joint downtown on Phillips Ave. with fabulous custom made grilled cheese sandwiches. I do love atmosphere of downtown and this was a great altnerative to Burger King which Taryn was pushing for. 

So we did it -- we had a great day on a budget.

Here are a few photos of our "cheap" day:

Just a bit of drama for you.

Take a look at the tongue, would you?  He asked me the other day if I thought he had the longest tongue in the city.  He just might!

The serious mountain climber!

As I was shooting pictures of the kids, I decided I wanted one of me with each of the kids. If you were to judge by the photos taken over the years, I'm not sure I exist. So I handed Paige the camera and she really got into it, posing us and clicking away.

Then I asked Carter to take a photo of Paige and I...suffice it to say, he would rather throw sticks...So we got exactly that...ONE photo.  Oh well!

It was good times I tell you! 

Tell me...what do you do for good free fun?

Invasion of the Giant Dragonflies

The title of this entry might lead you to believe that I have taken up science fiction writing, but that is not the case.  I am actually reporting on the real-life happenings of our quiet neighborhood and I have pictures to prove it. 

At first we were all a bit disgusted and slightly scared by the swarms of dragonflies above our heads.  But our fear soon turned to fascination as we realized they weren't going touch us.  I have no idea what caused this short lived invasion. Someone suggested that after all the rain we've had which has caused an increase in our mosquito population, they came to eat the mosquitoes. That could be...but they sure left a lot of mosquitoes behind!!  The mammoth insects started arriving around 5:00 pm and then left by dusk as quietly as they came.

It turned into quite a spectacle -- neighbor kids running around with any net they could find trying to catch these insect beasts.  There were huge fishing nets flying about and Carter created some bug catching contraption from a small minnow net attached to a long stick in order to achieve optimum height and swing.  They were so thick in the sky that one of the neighbor girls just threw up a rock into the air and knocked a dragon down.  Us parents stood in our driveways hypothesizing about where these huge bugs came from and asking "have you ever seen anything like it?"  It obviously doesn't take much to get us excited.

I'm not sure these pictures capture the massive quantities of bugs, but now you will see what we do for fun around these parts!

Here is what the invaders looked like. (You couldn't pay me enough to touch that!)

Here is what the sky looked like:

A few of our mighty warriors:

4 Men and a Boy

Last Sunday at 5:00 in the morning I sent my son off on a 14-hour car ride with his Dad, Grandpa and two Uncles across the border into Canada.  Carter had been bursting at the seams for weeks, ready to go and fish the Canadian waters.  He had dreams of catching more fish than he could count and of achieving the ultimate goal -- catching a Walleye large enough that dad would let him stuff it and mount it. (Cal had told him 28-inches or bigger merited a place on our wall.)

It was not without a few concerns that this mother let go of her son.  As I lay in bed the night before, I had many thoughts racing through my mind...so many things that could go wrong...car accidents, sinking boats, hooks in flesh, man overboard, wandering into dark forests, bears, border patrol detaining them in a foriegn land....those were the big things to worry about.  Then there were the little things, such as will he change his underwear, shower, brush his teeth or eat anything healthy for a week?  And will they come home with a stuffed walleye that I will need to hang over my fireplace?

I am happy to say that they returned on Saturday and they all survived and, in fact, Carter thrived!  For a boy who has been seriously bitten by the fishing bug, it doesn't get much better than to fish morning, noon and night. He was in his element as they would beach their boats on a little island, filet the fish on the shore and cook up a meal.  He told me stories of spreading the fish guts out on the sand after lunch so that they could watch the bald eagles swoop down to eat.  Pretty cool!

While the fishing was the highlight of the trip for them, from my perspective the male bonding that Carter experienced is better yet.  I heard a few stories about how Carter has no problem hanging with "the men" and tossing out jabs with the best of them about his Uncle's long-hair, or his Dad's out-of-control beard.  And with no TV or Blackberry service, there was plenty of time to patiently teach the young one how to tie a hook onto a fishing line and other such important lessons.  At times I heard Carter was the life of the party and at other times the paid help.  (Apparently, he was bribed with ten dollars from his Uncle to wash all the dishes while the men took naps.) 

Those are the few stories I have heard.  I've also heard "What happens in Canada, stays in Canada."  And, you know what, I'm O.K. with that.  What better thing could there be than for a young boy to be surrounded by 4 adult men who love him and want the best for him.

So he left a boy and ...well...he returned a boy.  A boy who actually missed his sisters (and they him -- they even admitted it out loud).  A boy who sat nestled next to his mom for a long time upon his return.  A boy who caught some big fish (although none 28 inches -- THANK GOODNESS).  A boy who knows there are 4 men who've got his back. 

Sweating the Small Stuff

Our first full week of summer vacation has come and gone already.  We are loving the freedom to sleep in, to take off for the day if we want, to just be free of a rigorous schedule!  But all this "togetherness" does take some adjustment.

I'm trying to keep a good persepective and not let the little things get to me.  I'm trying to be that model mom who is patient and calm with her kids and has the perfect response when they won't stop begging for the life-size pixy stick at the store.  But well, that's not always me.

It's those darn "little things" that start to get me heated.  For instance, one day last week I just started to make a mental note of everything that caused my blood pressure to rise.  Here's what did it ...

• The abundance of food wrappers and apple cores and empty drink packages that for some reason stay on the coffee table and kitchen counter and can't seem to find their way into the garbage can.

• Hearing  "One second, Mom" for the 4th time after I had asked them to do something and it still hasn't been done.

• The argument over who sits in what seat in the car everytime they get in.  Truly how different is the left side from the right side?

• The constant questions and tattling while I am on the phone.  Do they seriously not see me talking?

• The ongoing sibling squabling...for example here was one of many heated interactions:  "Slug Bug Yellow" -- hit. "No that's really Orange" -- hit.  "No, I said it first." -- double hit.  And on and on and on and on... until someone was seriously mad or hurt or crying.

• Trying to run errands and having them be in their own world and not mine.  They continually step in front of the shopping cart, or they want to push the cart and then run into me, or they want to ride in the cart and squish the bread.  You get the picture.

• Their stuff laying everywhere that I finally pick it up myself and put it on the top step for them to take down to their rooms.  I tell them it's there and that I expect them to take care of it...they will literally have to step over it to get downstairs.  Yet unimagineably they do.  Their pile stays on the top step.  How is that possible?

• Our inability to get anywhere on time (I can't entirely blame this on them).  However, far too often I say it is time to go and I try to move them toward getting their shoes on and leaving the house, but instead they seem oblivious to my request and start to play another computer game or decide they need to do something completely unrelated to leaving.

Does any of this sound familiar?  Am I the only one who loses my cool over the little things?

Overall -- they are truly GREAT kids.  They don't get in trouble at school, they work hard to get good grades, they have good character and good friends, they tend to be polite to others, they are kind and compassionate.  I have a lot to thank God for.

So I need to remind myself to focus on the majors because the little things could make me crazy!

The LA Get-A-Way

A get-a-way is a fabulous thing -- especially when it involves a destination to visit people you love (my bro and soon to be sis-in-law), with people you love (my sis), 80 degree sunny days, laughter, relaxation, lots of good food, as well as...

Wine tasting in Santa Barbara, although I could have been in Tuscany (or what I imagine Tuscany to be like)

Wedding Dress "looking" just off Rodeo Drive, cupcake eating on Rodea and actual "buying" of fun things at H&M and Forever 21 (a little further off Rodeo), but still stores I have no access to in my great state.

Sand in my toes.

And a little culture as we caught a play at the Ahmanson Theatre.  This was going to be followed by dessert at a swank little restaurant, but we opted for an In-N-Out burger instead.

So yes, it was grand.  But I did miss my husband and kids, and, after 4 nights away, was more than ready to return to my chaotic life.  I appreciate my husband so much for encouraging me to go and assuring me that he had it all under control (as long as I left a very detailed list).

I appreciate Paige so much, who, for some reason, feels responsible to take on my role as "mom" when I am gone.  Cal asked me one night on the phone, "So, when I am gone on a trip, does Paige get everyone up and dressed for the day?"  Ummm...that answer would be "No".  But I'm glad she helps Cal in that way. And he gives her full credit.  At church on Sunday morning (which they made in plenty of time for Paige to play her trumpet!), my friend asked Cal if he had it all under control without me, his reply was, "Well, Paige seems to have it under control."

And here's the sweetest thing -- when I arrived home around 5:00 pm, before Cal was home from work, I found Paige in the process of making cookies to surprise me.  However, we didn't have any flour or sugar in the house.  So she had already ridden her bike to Target to buy the supplies she needed with her own money.

So, while they did a good job in my absence, there is nothing like returning home after four days to realize just how much you really are needed.  The mail hadn't been opened, e-mail hadn't been read, a load of laundry hadn't been done, the backpacks had not been cleared of all the daily notes and worksheets, and the milk was gone.  But I didn't care -- I was greeted with so much love and affection -- and I had patience to spare...for the first time in a long time.  It's all good!

Living with a Fashionista

It would be an understatement to say that Taryn likes to change her clothes and "dress up".  It hasn't helped that her cousin shares all of her outgrown dance costumes with Miss TaTa.  Here is just a sampling of the outfits she has assembled and modeled for me in the last little while.

She is certainly developing her own sense of "style."

Here is the downside to living with a fashionista:

She seems to manage (with the help of her stool) to get everything off the hangers -- However, she can't seem to hang it back up??? 

Nothing Gold Can Stay

Nature's first green is gold,

Her hardest hue to hold.

Her early leaf's a flower;

But only so an hour.

Then leaf subsides to leaf.

So Eden sank to grief,

So dawn goes down to day.

Nothing gold can stay.

                --Robert Frost

Every spring for a couple of days when the leaves are first appearing on the trees this poem rings in my head.  I drove around my neighborhood today and tried to capture the golden moment.  It's so beautiful -- both the trees and the poem.

Now I should probably end this post right now and allow you to think I am intelligent and artistic and that the scads of poetry my English Professor parents have recited to me over the years really impacted me and stuck with me-- but, well, this is HonestlyJen.  So, here is a glimpse into the crazy stuff that really goes on in my brain and why I fondly recall this poem.

Every year as this poem comes to mind with the golden trees what also comes to mind is the movie "The Outsiders" from the 80's.  Nothing Gold Can Stay  is the poem recited by Ponyboy (C. Thomas Howell) to Johnny (Ralph Macchio).  I remember thinking this was the greatest movie ever -- And what a cast -- Tom Cruise, Emilo Esteves, C. Thomas Howell, Ralph Macchio, Patrick Swayze, Matt Dillon, Rob Lowe -- It was every young girls dream...

If you want a taste from the 80's -- I found a clip of this poem being recited in the movie.

Watch it on YouTube

And then, remember, at the end of the movie as Johnny lays dying he says to Ponyboy...."Stay golden Ponyboy."  I tell you ... that's good stuff.  I think I'll be renting The Outsiders again soon.

Wives Tale -- Success Story

I had a wood chip in my thumb.  And, I have to tell you, it wasn't just a little old sliver that slipped under a thin layer of skin...it was embedded deep into my thumb.  I was digging around in my landscaping looking for green shoots to assure me that spring was indeed coming and I guess I got a little carried away.

I must say it caused me some pain and it looked kind of gross, so I grabbed a tweezers, and asked Cal to operate.  He attempted to remove the foreign object, but ended up only getting the exposed tip out.  His advice to me was, "You just need to get a needle and dig around in there to get it out." 

Excuse me!!  I'm a little squemish.  The thought of digging around in my flesh with a needle, well, it wasn't going to happen.  So I decided to ignore it.

For a week I lived without using my thumb.  But being the logical-thinker that I am, I decided ignoring it probably wasn't a good long-term solution.  However, "digging" and "needles" were still out of the question. There had to be another way.

I then recalled something my grandma once recommended as a sure-fire solution for removing foreign objects from a wound...she had once wrapped a cabbage leaf around her foot in order to get out a piece of glass, and it had worked.  However, I didn't have a head of cabbage handy so that wasn't an option.

So I decided to go with another method...handed down from Cal's side of the family.  I took a piece of bread, dipped it in milk, wrapped it around my thumb, covered it with saran wrap and taped it up.  This is how I slept all night.

In the morning, I couldn't wait to remove the cast of bread and see if the magic had worked.  I was initially disappointed because there was no stick laying in the bread.  But then I made just one tiny push on the open wound and out popped the stick.  It was cool.  So here's what all the fuss was about:

I swear the picture makes it look smaller than it was -- and I need you to imagine this pushed straight into my thumb.

I know I'm a wimp and I'm not sure why I admit these things, but I think you just might thank me for this advice the next time you have a screaming child with a sliver who is squirming all around as you attack with your tweezers. Now you know there is a kinder, gentler way.

Friday = My Day (Not!)

I had this great plan!! 

Now that Taryn is in school every day of the week -- I was going to arrange my work schedule not around  her days home, but around me.  I wanted Friday's off and it was going to be MY DAY -- I would run all my errands,  maybe even shop a little for myself.   I would take a walk, have my quiet time, plan a weekly menu, buy groceries...And I was going to blog!!!

Yeah -- right!

Since I started my "new schedule" in January -- I believe I have had 2 Friday's to myself.  Between days off of school (which seem to be frequent and always on Fridays) and volunteering at the school on my one day off the my-time thing isn't really happening. 

But things looked good for today and I must admit I was seriously looking forward to "my time".  Then last night at 9:30 p.m. I received a phone call that due to a water main break...school was cancelled.

"Not Fair," was the initial whining in my head, "This was supposed to be MY day."

Oh well -- I guess flexibility is key when you become a parent.  Instead of coffee, quiet time and shopping, I became social coordinator, picnic packer, craft counselor (help me!) and waitress.

We also had an indoor beach party.

And Carter got creative in feeding the birds.  (Do birds even like pretzels?)

And thanks to a bright sunshinny day -- the kids are outside for the moment and I posted a blog.

Not a bad day after all!

Too Much?

Life simply caught up with me.  I was on such a roll...posting a blog once or twice a week and then...well...life happened.

As any typcial mom of school-aged children -- here are the ordinary activities of my last month...basketball practices, volleyball practices, softball practices, piano lessons, trumpet lessons, ball games and then more ball games, cheer demonstrations, concerts to attend, concerts to perform, fine arts night, school projects, building balloon cars, writing book reports, math homework, field trips, Star of the Week, chapel services, church youth group, church boys group, church girls group, Bible studies, one weekend get-away, two birthday parties to plan and host (Taryn and Paige), a bedroom to paint and redecorate. You get the picture....Sound familiar?

Add to this the fact that Cal started a new job which required 5 trips out of state 5 weeks in a row...AND the fact that American Idol is in season right now -- adding at least 3 hours of TV watching to my weekly agenda which I didn't have to schedule before.

March is also the month to sign up for the variety of camps each kid wants to attend this summer...I have currently completed 11 camp registrations along with signing up for baseball and softball -- and I don't think I'm done yet.

I have felt dizzy at times trying to coordinate the schedules of three busy kids, complete my own job requirements, keep up with my husband's itinerary, eat a decent meal every once in a while, and find clean clothes to wear.

So I ask the age old question....how busy is too busy?  Because I haven't figured it out.  Everything we are doing seem to be good activities.  The kids never complain about any of their extra-curriculars (well maybe practicing piano).  In fact, they truly love everything they do!  But sometimes I think I am jipping them out of enjoying an evening of nothingness! 

Now I know I am the adult and I have to guide them and help them make the tough decisions about when to just say "no" to something.  And perhaps that's the problem -- I never say "no" myself.

However, I do seem to say "no" to many things that would be good for me, such as exercising, staying in touch with old friends, staying up on current events such as health care legislation (but who has time for that?).

So anyway -- I will continue on in my attempt to find balance in all of this.  I guess my goal is that amongst the hectic -- we will also find moments to really talk, moments to laugh, moments to play, moments to read, moments of peace, and most importantly moments to pray and stay rooted in our faith.

And if I fit a blog in every once and while...I'll be happy!

A Good Morning Moment

This morning was still a whirlwind, but it had a beautiful moment that I wanted to share and remember.

Cal just returned from a trip late last night and so the kids were excited to see him this morning.  Taryn was sitting on his lap telling him a story and I thought it was cool how the sunlight caught her ponytail -- so I snapped this picture.

However, what I like most about the picture is not the sun on her pony, but how it captures a girl happy to see her dad. 

My Mornings

I just survived another morning of getting the kids up and off to school.

Why is this such a dreaded task for me?? If you ask me, "morning" is a dirty word.  My sister started a blog, once upon a time, that she titled "My Mornings."  She would take an artistic, peaceful picture to share of her morning.  I really enjoyed it.  It was the polar opposite of my real-life mornings.

Granted...I love to stay up late into the night and I am not a morning person by nature.  I struggle to pull myself out of bed.  But God has really done everything he can to help me out in this department.  He has provided a carpool driver that picks my kids up everyday so I never have to drive to school and I also work from home, so I don't need to get myself ready for anything. 

So what am I complaining about?   I essentially just need to role out of bed & wake up Carter and Taryn since Paige is up before me to shower.  But it is unfortunately never that simple.  For one thing, my kids are a little too much like me and don't have such a pleasant demeanor in the morning.  So all of our lovely personalities blend a little harshly at the start of a new day. Here is the progression of this morning:

7:00 -- Turn on the fireplace.
7:02 -- Wake up Carter & pick out his sweatpants and t-shirt for the day.  Fortunatley he could care less what he wears if it falls into the "sweatpants and t-shirt" category.
7:07 -- Physically pull Carter from bed.  5 minutes of saying "Get up Carter."  Have given me no results of movement.
7:09 -- Wake up Taryn.  Pick out three different options for her to select from while she lays there moaning.  Hold the outfits directly in front of her sleeping face and tell her to open her eyes & point to what she wants to wear.  She picks the girliest thing.
7:11 -- Put her selected outfit in front of the fireplace to heat up because I otherwise deal with her crying the
entire time she is dressing because she is so cold.
7:12 -- Physically pull Taryn from bed and plop her on the potty.  Dress her in front of the fireplace.
7:15 -- Carter arrives upstairs and immediately turns on Sponge Bob Square Pants
7:16 -- We start the litany of "What do you want for breakfast? ... Cheerios, toast, waffle, granola bar, yogurt?" (I should've learned long ago to give them only one option per morning ... that's how my mom did it.  Granted, my mom also actually prepared a breakfast of eggs or oatmeal or something good.)
7:17 -- I put waffles in the toaster.  Pour Carter and Taryn apple juice and Paige orange juice.
7:19 -- Paige arrives upstairs -- waffles are ready.  Taryn changes her mind and now wants yogurt.  I eat the waffles.
7:22 -- Kids are sitting like zombies in front of Sponge Bob without eating a bite.
7:22  -- Mom turns off Sponge Bob to a chorus of whining, "Turn that on."  To which I reply -- "You need to eat."
7:24 -- Charlie, the dog, is dragging his butt on the carpet -- we all yell at him to stop, and I comment "We should just get rid of Charlie, all we do is yell at him."  Bad timing...I immediately have two kids in tears... "But we love him.  Don't get rid of him."
7:25 -- Two kids smothering Charlie with more love than he has received in months.
7:26 -- "Finish your breakfast."  I brush Taryn's hair while she eats.
7:28 -- "Brush your teeth."  A fight ensues over the toothpaste.
7:30 -- Search for snow pants and gloves.  Shoes in backpacks.
7:32 -- Paige hauls out homework that she forgot to do.  "Mom, what is something I would stand up for?  I need to write a paper."  "Now? Are you kidding me?"
7:35 -- Carpool arrives and I kiss them all as they walk out the door.

Whew!  Not a minute to spare.  In fact, had we had a minute to spare, we might have gotten farther on a topic for Paige's paper, loved Charlie a little more, and in general been more civil to each other. 

I am fully aware that if I started our morning routine just 5-10 minutes earlier, I would probably have better results.  Yet, no matter how mature I might think I am, as I am laying in my warm bed every morning, I will always choose to wait until the last possible minute that I can reasonably get up and still pull off this whirlwind!

I'm Sick of It!!! (Weekly List)

There was a time when I mentioned on my blog (Tribute to Summer) that I would probably do a list of things I love in every season.  Well I've just decided there is NOTHING I love about winter.  In fact at this point in the middle of February, I hate it.  As I was thinking about what I might write to express my feelings toward winter, I will admit, I couldn't seem to finish a sentence without a bad word entering my mind. I just can't find friendly terms to describe it anymore.

Top 12 Reasons I am Sick of Winter (Yes, this list required 12!)

1.  I am stinkin' cold!!

2.  I am sick of the scramble every morning to find snow pants that are dry, gloves that match, boots, hats, scarves and shoes for the backpacks.  This all adds a good 5-10 minutes to our morning schedule.  5-10 minutes we simply don't have.

3.  I am sick of getting into my car and having a cold rear-end from the car seats!

4.  I am sick of the dog taking a crap two feet outside my front door.  Poor dog, he's cold too -- and he would need to scale a 4 foot drift to make it into the yard.  It is like maneuvering though a field of landmines to make it up my sidewalk.  I know I should pick the crap up more frequently, but, well, I'm stinkin' cold.

5.  I am sick of climbing into ice cold sheets every night and then shivering under the covers for the first 5 minutes, only to wake up in the morning and have to step out of the bed (which did eventually warm up) into a chilly room.

6.  I am sick of cooped up kids and the extra energy that they don't know what to do with except fight.

7.  I am sick of cold fingers.  (Although it is kind of fun to hear Cal screech like a girl when I touch his bare back.)

8. I am sick of cancelling parties, family gatherings, games,  tournaments, & school due to the weather. 

9.  I am sick of dirty cars that will never stay clean.

10. I am sick of snow blowing the driveway. (O.K. -- that's a bit of a lie...I don't even know how to make the snow blower run. But I am sympathetic towards Cal. Believe me, he has shared his feelings about snow blowing in no uncertain terms.)

11.  I am sick of $250 heat bills!

12.  Did I mention -- I am cold!?!?

And before you think I am missing out on the joys of building snowmen and sledding and other fun winter activities.  Let me tell you there is just too much blasted snow!!  Taryn and I tried sledding down our neighbor's hill the other day and it didn't go so well.  Every step I took ended up in snow up to my thighs causing snow to fill my boots, and when I tried to get forward momentum downhill -- I just sank. 

And to my parents:  I hope this makes you feel better as you endure 60 degree temperatures in Florida.  You've been careful not to complain, but I'd be bummed if I had to wear a sweatshirt in Florida.  It's just not right.

Join me at The Fruited Plain Cafe'

I am not a restaurant reviewer (although I do think that would be a fabulous job...eat all kinds of delicious meals and then write about them....I should look into that.)  But I feel moved to review a new coffee shop and wine bar that recently opened in Sioux Center, IA.

From the moment you walk in the door you feel like you are wrapped in your favorite comfortable blanket -- and that's a high compliment when you are enduring a never-ending, mid-west winter.  The Fruited Plain Cafe' welcomes you with the aroma of coffee, rich wood floors, soft lighting...all creating a warm and comfortable atmosphere.  You feel as if you have entered a quaint neighborhood bistro nestled in an eclectic corner of some big city.

And if you want a latte' to-die-for, this is the place to come.  The owner spent time in the Netherlands and Annapolis, Maryland and has learned a thing or two about brewing the perfect cup of joe.

But that's not all ... it's also a wine bar.  Serving a great variety of wines for any budget.

Ohhh...who am I kidding -- I am not a restaurant reviewer, and I am certainly not unbiased.  Most of you know, this fabulous little joint which just opened three weeks ago is owned by my sister, Becca and her husband, Laremy.  I am so proud of them for following their dreams & creating this "shop" out of an old auto parts store.  And here they are:

My beautiful baby sister...

 

her husband...

and their baby -- drinking her "prickly". (She already has high-class taste in water.)

It truly is a wonderful place and if you find yourself in Sioux Center -- stop by!