As I See It...

One of Those Nights

2011-10-30T22:45:00.000-04:00

You know those nights, right?

Nothing is quite right.

Grant is in our room, apparently dying with the flu. He is moaning and wailing and probably gnashing his teeth. I'm not sure about the gnashing part. That is just speculation.

Lucy is wide awake in her crib singing "Dowa, Dowa, Dowa, dee Explowa!" over and over and over again.

Michael is crying about the possibility that I may suffer a premature death.

I wanted to make Apple Cider Donuts and have them ready when everyone wakes in the morn - but I don't feel so sweet or domestic to provide piping hot donuts upon everyones awakening.

Tomorrow is Halloween. I used to love Halloween and then I didn't. I used to think it was harmless fun and then I thought it was the gateway holiday to Wiccanism. I feel like tomorrow I am reverting back to my harmless days. In fact, I want to go buy a circa 1950's house dress and wear red lipstick, pearls and heels just for irony.

I found out today that despite my grammatical pretense - I have, in fact, been using the wrong form of 'its' for my whole life. I know the difference between who's and whose, but I am humbled to realize that I have been an "its" offender. What evs.

Do you notice how many "I's" are in this little rant? I think I'll spare you any more.

What I'm Thinking About...

2011-10-15T22:46:00.000-04:00

Chocolate Covered Katie.

I made her pumpkin baked oatmeal tonight and as I ate it out of my new celery colored stoneware ramekins, with it's toasty little baked crust on the top, all drizzled with maple syrup (no white sugar at all!), and warmy, cinnamony, deliciousness - I was transported into some kind of dreamlike, swirling, hazy state of euphoria. It was that good.

Check her out.
http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2010/11/10/baked-pumpkin-oatmeal-for-one/

(photo courtesy of Chocolate Covered Katie - link above)

What I Am Thinking About...

2011-10-03T21:57:00.000-04:00

Marcel the Shell

The cutest thing ever.

To Hell With Moderation

2011-09-24T22:03:00.000-04:00

Do you want to know what? I don't like people who compulsively diet.

That's right.

Exercise all you want. Run day and night. Get up in the middle of the night to do additional Pilates. Go right ahead.

Turn down a piece of warm bread and butter? You are a fool. If someone offers you a chocolate chip cookie and a glass of milk and you say no? I simply do not want to be your friend.

What I am Thinking About

2011-09-21T01:22:00.000-04:00

H.W. Crocker III

An Open Letter to Mr. Crocker.
Dear Sir.
This evening I read an article you wrote entitled "Use NFP, It Doesn't Work" and I want you to know that I loved it. I found your article while doing research for an article that I am writing about NFP. I put in the Google search function "NFP Doesn't Work" and your article was delivered from cyber-Heaven. The part where you quoted the tearful NFP-lover with her "wonderfully made" body made me laugh so hard that I woke one of the children sleeping on my floor.

I have spent the last hour trying to find contact information for you - but to no avail. That is why I am writing you this letter on my own blog. Fat chance you are going to see it.

So my research changed from NFP to contact info for HW Crocker III, and to my surprise I discovered that you also authored "Triumph". Sir, If I were anywhere near you I would pat you on the back, or give you a hug, or something like that. I like the way you think.

So please accept this letter with a hefty dose of praise. I thoroughly enjoy your work.
God Bless You,
Sharon Kieffer Steele

If you'd like to read "Use NFP: It Doesn't Work" here you go.
You're welcome.
http://www.catholicity.com/commentary/crocker/04828.html

Scenes from a Roadtrip

2011-09-13T22:43:00.000-04:00

Is is wrong to love a bug? Because I was smitten with this little jumper.

Nevermind the chocolate on the teeth. After a long hike, nothing soothes the soul like an entire box of moonpies.

Self Portrait Artistes.

Mijas.

The End.

What I'm Thinking About...

2011-09-06T17:23:00.002-04:00

This Article...
http://www.colve.org/?p=873

What I'm Thinking About...

2011-09-05T21:12:00.000-04:00

Lily Allen.

I love this song. I love this video. The end.

What I'm Thinking About...

2011-09-04T22:29:00.000-04:00

Don't you love it when a tame little dinner party erupts into a full-fledged Par-Taaay?! Oh. My absolute favorite. After a few glasses of wine - some steak (I don't even eat meat!) - a couple of beers - bread and butter - 2 pieces of Boston Creme Pie - a whole lot of laughter - some Euro stories out of Grant - the whole place busted a move to 1st Wave on Sirius. First up was the Violent Femmes "Blister in the Sun." These are the times that make histories.

What I'm Thinking About...

2011-09-02T22:38:00.000-04:00

Ellie Goulding - and how much I love her.

I love her too much. And I think you're going to, too.

What I'm Thinking About...

2011-09-01T22:41:00.000-04:00

I am really thinking about the implosion of my beloved homeschool group......

But in order to keep my mind off of that I am thinking about months and how September 2011 is going to be bananas. B-A-N-A-N-A-S.

I don't really have a favorite month - If you pinned me down I'd probably say June - but it is possible that is not exactly true.

I absolutely have a most UNfavorite month. That month is February. I am almost certain that month is evil.

What I'm Thinking About...

2011-08-28T20:36:00.000-04:00

Sharon's Chicken

I will now share with you the recipe that I developed all by my self and that I hear is pretty good. It is basically the most ghetto thing that you can ever put in your mouth with the exception of Mountain Dew.

Without further ado:

1 Cup Ketchup
1/4 cup Brown Sugar
2 Tablespoons Mustard
1/2 Cup Grape Jelly
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce

Cook heavily salted and peppered Skinless Boneless chicken thighs on the grill until they get good pretty brown grill marks on both sides. Take them off the grill and put them in a baking dish and cover with the above sauce. Seal the entire deal with lots of tin foil until you are pretty sure that a meteor could hit it and still not penetrate the foil. Put in a 300 degree oven and cook for about 2 hours or until it smells "done." Unwrap it and pull chicken with two forks in the sauce so it will soak up all the ketchupy goodness. Serve over white rice.

You're Welcome.

What I am Thinking About

2011-08-27T11:55:00.000-04:00

Hurricane Irene.
Update #1

sky...

Will keep you posted. I am filling up the bathtub right now.

Retro Camera Love

2011-08-26T22:19:00.000-04:00

Here's the part of the story where I try to pretend that I am "The Bachelorette"

... Where I copy a really cool picture that I saw because I'm too cheap to buy it...

Where I show off my mom/bestie...

... and where I show off my children's good looking feet...

Nighty Night.

Update

2011-08-26T21:13:00.000-04:00

What I'm Thinking About

2011-08-26T14:28:00.000-04:00

Date Night. And how I hate that term.
Night Out? Cheesy.
Happy Hour? Tacky.

Regardless, I am going to meet Mr. Steele at Uncle Julios for a bowl of soup and some footsies under the table.

Have I mentioned how much I love soup?

What I'm Thinking About

2011-08-25T13:53:00.000-04:00

Shrimp and Lobster Soup from Uncle Julios.

Soup is my favorite food - and Uncle Julio's Shrimp and Lobster Soup is some of the best. The rest of their menu isn't super great but their Friday Soup du Jour is like a little sip of shellfish heaven. Combine that with a margarita and some chips - WoooWee! My favorite Friday treat. (Not very penitential, is it?)

What I'm Thinking About

2011-08-24T17:45:00.000-04:00

The Great Earthquake of 2011.

It took me a good few full seconds of shaking to figure out that this was indeed an earthquake. After spending the first half of my life on the West Coast - earthquakes are passe to me. My kids thought? Whoa. The felt like, like the whole world was shaking!

Basically, if I hear another one of my West Coast "friends" mock us about our little weenie earthquake I am going to vomit. It's all hardy-har-har until January when their mercury falls below a tepid 40 degrees when we are going to never have to hear the end of their "cold snap." Gag me.

Plus. We sustained some major damage here, folks. Do you know how long it took me to straighten out these pictures? Yeah. I am still digging out.

I Won I Won I Won!

2011-08-22T21:57:00.000-04:00

It's not so much that I won - but it is where I won from that makes me so excited. I won the giveaway from Hairdresser on Fire. My fashion muse. My hair isn't going to be able to sleep tonight!

You can find her blog on my sidebar or follow the link here: http://www.hdofblog.com/

Sweet Dreams.

What I'm Thinking About....

2011-08-22T21:09:00.000-04:00

This Post...
http://houseunseen.blogspot.com/2011/08/5-reasons-my-marriage-comes-before-my.html#more
By a new fav blogger of mine.

And because I love him so much - a pic of my beloved for your viewing pleasure.

What I'm Thinking About...

2011-08-21T16:54:00.000-04:00

The Mad Men Collection at Banana Republic!!

I suppose what I like best about this is that it hearkens back to a time when people used to dress - for a ride on the train, for a trip downtown, for company. It was a time when clothing was as crucial to ambiance as decor, architecture or good lighting.

If I could get my hands on that grey little number in the middle.... whoa.

What I'm Thinking About Today...

2011-08-20T21:36:00.000-04:00

Bad Haircuts. And how much I secretly love them.

Perhaps it's because I love to laugh about them. Whatever the reason... I got a real doozy this afternoon and I am in love with it. It is a cross between Helen Mirren and Dorothy Hamill.

Do you cry when you get a bad haircut? I tip extra big.

I'm sure we'll be laughing at this one for years to come.

What I'm Thinking About

2011-08-19T08:58:00.001-04:00

A few years ago I heard a talk by the unsinkable Vaughn Treco, who proposed that we adopt the Friday Fast as a part of our own personal spiritual practices throughout the year. His question: If the Church has been doing this for thousands of years, why do anything else?

Guess what, I agree.

So, I ask you, do you observe the Friday Fast? If yes, tell me why. If not, I challenge you to reinstitute the Friday Fast in your own spirituality. And I want to hear your thoughts.

http://www.causes.com/causes/630975

What I'm Thinking About...

2011-08-18T08:38:00.000-04:00

Here's what I'm thinking about today: Camping food. I want to spice up our camping noshes but, as always, I'm afraid that the kids won't go for it. Here is an article with all kinds of interesting variations:

(Image via Sunset Magazine)

http://www.sunset.com/food-wine/kitchen-assistant/campground-cooking-recipes-00400000043132/page13.html

How about you? Do you go ghetto or gourmet for your camping trips?

What I'm Thinking About...

2011-08-17T21:23:00.000-04:00

I was in a rotten mood today. For no apparent reason. So here's what I'm thinking about to keep my mind out of the funk:

My resin flower jewelry. Aren't they pretty? I made 'em!

New Post

2011-08-16T22:49:00.000-04:00

Here is the linkedy-link to my newest COLVE article.

I was feeling very, very sappy when I wrote this. Read it and weep.

http://www.colve.org/?p=522

Gift

2010-12-25T10:40:00.004-05:00

The other day I was on my way home from a run when I bumped into a neighbor I hadn't seen in a long time. Red-cheeked and out of breath, I talked to her for a minute about the news in our house and how our children were doing. I was half-in/half-out of the conversation, because in truth, I was totally digging the fact that I had just completed a three-mile run without stopping: a first time accomplishment in my own personal history. When the she asked me about Lucy, I braced myself for the inevitable, "So you're done now, right?"

***
Grant and I got engaged on the day before I graduated from college. Saying "yes" to his proposal was the easiest decision I ever made. Yet, I was very much still a college student - unpaid bills, lofty ambitions, and girlfriends who dreamed of and pined for their very own engagement. I don't think I will ever forget the moment we announced our engagement to one of my very best girlfriends. She was a recent graduate with a good job, a live-in boyfriend, a new car and no engagement ring. I showed her my ring and she started to cry. "I'm happy for you. Really. I am. I just never pictured this for you. I always thought you'd be living downtown alone with cats."

***
My mother always worked when I was a child. She was a beautiful, feminine example of how a woman can have a foot in both worlds and reap the benefits of both. Her office always provided good dinnertime stories and when I imagined my life I always thought that I would follow her example. For a long time, I let my paycheck define who I was as a woman. But, when I had Ben, the truth is, I was too exhausted and too overwhelmed to return to work. (go here for more on that.) My husband had always wanted me to stay home and so the choice was clear. I called my boss and told her I wouldn't be returning. At first I was relieved, I got to nap in the middle of the day when I needed to and if I wanted to stay in my jammies all day, I could. But after a while, the indulgences got too much and I felt as if I was falling. My "self" was slipping away and I didn't like the new me. This is when God intervened. He told me to attack this new life with the same vitality that I did my previous life. So I got out of my jammies and I started living. Life has been pretty darn good ever since.

***

Six months ago, my husband agreed to support me in my long held dream of homeschooling my children. Shortly after moving into our house, about 7 years ago, I made friends with a big group of Catholic homeschooling mothers, and I fell in love. These are truly some of the most inspiring women with whom I have ever made acquaintance. And their children.... They are talented, they are interested, they are respectful, they are devout. This is the life I wanted for my children. After lots of research and prayer, we took the leap.....

and there have been moments that I have sincerely doubted the sincerity of this calling and my abilities to complete this challenge. I am weak in places where I thought I was strong. My patience (which is often attributed as my greatest virtue) has waned and I have found myself on my knees begging God for the strength to just get through this year.

Strength. Dear Lord. Grant me strength.

***

The other night I was sitting in front of the television with all the children. Lucy was having a particularly difficult day and we just needed some time to have the tv entertain us. Grant sat down with us and started to watch as well. Something(one) inside my head said "You should run." And I continued to watch tv. Then it felt like a thunderclap went off, "You CAN run." WHAT??! "RUN!"

I went upstairs and I put on my running shoes. It should be said that my "running" shoes have never seen a pace beyond a shuffle. I don't run. I never have. But this night, I decided to be obedient. I bundled up. I told my husband that I was going to run. I left my children with him and into the cold, dark night I RAN. And I didn't stop. For three miles. And I felt the muscles, usually tense in my forehead, release. My feet, my legs carried my weight at the pace of a run for three miles. And I felt something....

strength.

That's when I bumped into my neighbor.
***
Merry Christmas.

Said to Me

2010-11-13T11:07:00.000-05:00

Our UPS delivery guy just told me that he likes to deliver on this street because we have "the cutest mothers on his route." What a Ladies Man! I'll bet he says that to all the mothers....

New Adventures

2010-09-25T21:06:00.001-04:00

Self-Portrait

2010-08-21T21:02:00.003-04:00

You knew I'd be back. I go through phases.

2010-04-26T20:26:00.000-04:00

True!

2010-04-26T20:18:00.000-04:00

Me & My Baby

2010-04-16T19:48:00.000-04:00

Today

2010-04-14T07:26:00.004-04:00

Today I have to:

9:00 drive Josh to speech
9:45 drive Josh to school
10:00 Run to the grocery store
10:15 Attend Mass (my only respite)
11:30 Meet friend for kids playtime/lunch
12:30 Home to Nap Lucy
2:30 pick up kids from school
5:00 take Ben to scouts meeting
6:00 take Josh to scouts meeting
7:00 take all kids home and drop off friend
7:30 Grant has meeting
8:30 Collapse into Bed

But all I really want to do is:
Sometime: Attend Mass
Whenever: Go pick up a Chai Tea Latte/Skim Milk
After That: Go to TwoGuys Antiques and go shopping

Wednesdays Stink.

Somehow, Someway....

2010-04-03T13:09:00.003-04:00

I will be the owner of this lovely necklace. I think it will be an Easter gift to myself.

Project Naptime

2010-04-01T12:33:00.000-04:00

Dad Jeans

2010-03-30T08:16:00.003-04:00

I've never had what one may consider a overly-feminine body. The places that should be curvy are straight and the places that should be slender are not. And that is ok. Because I overcompensate for the curses of nature with clothes. I love to dress my schlumpy body in delicate and feminine pieces. Scarves and ruffles and skirts, O My! They make me happy. But every once in a while I get a desire to don a pair of jeans. And that is always a bad decision. So bad, that even my 3-year old notices.

Sunday, I decided to wear a pair of dark wash denim jeans for the first time since I gave birth to Lucy. Mostly, I was curious to see if they'd fit. I pulled them up, up, up over my hips and secured the button and zipper easily. SCORE! My prepregnancy jeans fit! I put on a sweatshirt and some fuzzy socks... and then I bumped into Annie. She squealed, Mommy! You look handsome in those jeans! I said, "You mean pretty?" And she answered, No, not pretty, Mommy. Handsome. Like a boy.

Pop. Bubble officially burst.

Self-Portrait Artists

2010-03-29T09:13:00.001-04:00

When filing through our masses of pictures - there are two photographs you are sure to find: self-portraits of me and self-portraits of Ben. I find pictures of Ben's face everywhere: in my camera, in my phone, on our refridgerator, front and center on our Christmas tree every year. Of all the rotten things to inherit, he got my fondness for capturing the essence of my own face.

Swine Sister

2010-03-26T09:03:00.001-04:00

I took one look at this lovely pig and I thought, "Yeah. I know where you're at, honey."
I've never felt sisterhood with a pig before. There is a first for everything.

2010-02-08T15:04:00.001-05:00

I'm over it

2010-02-03T10:23:00.000-05:00

Even though it is pretty.

"and life barrels on like a runaway train"

2010-02-01T11:53:00.002-05:00

(a winter haiku for you... because I am feeling generous)

winter and sledding
this time no tears and new life

nothing is better

Soon the daffodils will replace the snow...
and we will be 3 months older than we are right now.
See Here...

(I told ya so.)

An Exercise in Nonsense

2010-01-30T08:23:00.002-05:00

(a real conversation as overheard in the backseat of our van...)

josh: I hope I get my head stuck in a potty!
michael: I am going to bite on an electrical cord.
annie: Mommy, can I be a mermaid when I grow up?
ben: Oh yeah, guys? Tell that to President Obama!

all is still well in crazytown.

I have GIRLS!

2009-12-30T16:23:00.000-05:00

Your Wish...

2009-12-11T17:32:00.000-05:00

Is my command, my dearies! Sorry it has taken me so long to update. I've had a few things to do... :)
To summarize - she is the best, most precious, most delicious baby ever. We are over-the-stinking-moon for her. More to come...

For Your Enjoyment...

2009-11-28T23:09:00.002-05:00

So I confess, I am on blogging strike. I want to write - and once in a while I have a fleeting funny thought - but the truth is that I am uninspired and of no use to the blog-o-sphere right now. And while I am not contributing, I have stumbled on a blog that promised to provide me with endless amounts of daydreaming and voyeurism. Want to take a looksee?

http://wherearebradandkaren.blogspot.com/

My uncle and his lovely wife are on holiday in Australia and it looks glorious. I am envious of their travel style. It is off the beaten path, meet the locals, see the sights, keep it under the radar type of travelling and I aspire to it. I want to lap it up out of a bowl.

But for now, I will have to satisfy myself with pictures.

Notes from a fun Weekend...

2009-11-10T13:10:00.002-05:00

We male bonded....
We family bonded....

We female bonded....

And we played video games....

Weekend Pt 2

2009-11-10T13:05:00.004-05:00

We played games... We ate junk food....

We saw some wildlife....

And we played more games...

Weekend Pt 3

2009-11-10T13:05:00.000-05:00

We got our car tagged by a Motorcycle Gang...

We built a campfire...

We saw some beautiful sights...

And at the end, we all slept snuggly in our beds.

Homemade Marshmallows are Gooood!

2009-11-03T09:06:00.000-05:00

.... especially when you eat them right off the beater!

The Day is Here...

2009-10-30T23:06:00.002-04:00

The fateful day is finally here. I knew it was coming. I could feel it in my bones (.... or maybe that was my rear end...) I went to the doctor this morning and after swearing to myself that I wouldn't freak out no matter how much weight I have gained..........

I freaked out.

Because I now outweigh my husband.

And I have 6 weeks to go.

This isn't going to be pretty, friends.

(And sorry about the light posting. My laptop is broken and I don't make it to the basement very often to use the big computer. Hope to return soon.)

When Angry Meets Angry

2009-10-20T21:04:00.003-04:00

It takes very thick skin to take four small children shopping when you are eight months pregnant. Nevermind the physical aches and pains, the comments and gawking is enough to make even the most confident want to run screaming from wherever they are. Little stingers such as "So, you're done, right?" or "All they all yours?" make me feel like a circus sideshow. And it is not like we are trying to grab attention. The kids usually behave fairly well - but the sheer volume of our presence is enough to move bystanders to commentary.

As you might imagine, I have been in no mood to deal with the attention. I just want to move quickly and efficiently into and out of the places we frequent, avoiding all pregnancy/baby/large family-related conversation until I feel physically stronger. So I have taken pains to make sure that we get all of our running around done while the big kids are at school and we usually make it out of the public eye without notice. Until yesterday...

A heavily aged woman pushed a loaded shopping cart near us in the grocery store. She stopped near us where I assumed she was looking for similar fare. All of a sudden I heard her voice pointed at me, "That's quite a family you have there." I looked down at my two youngest kids with their sparkly eyes and their soft little blonde heads and smiled at her in agreement, "Yes. And this is only half of them." She stared venom at me. "Do you mean to tell me that you are expecting your fifth child?" Oh, hell, I thought. This isn't a compliment. I felt the flush of anger, pain, rage rush to my cheeks as I chose my words carefully. "Well, yes," was all I could muster. "Well, you must want a large family," she scoffed. "God wants us to have a large family. Plus, they are wonderful kids," my flight response dying quickly as fight quickly started to kick in. Her, "You must be Mormon." Me, "No we're Catholic." Her, "Well I am glad you can afford them." Me, "Well, who can really afford them? If you wait for that, you'll never have any." Her, (nasty laughter) "Well, good luck to you." Me (screaming) "WE DON'T NEED LUCK!"

As furious as I was that someone could actually insult my children and lifestyle choices in front of me, I just wondered what brings a person to the place where they are so angered by the presence of a happy, well-adjusted family? What is it that moves people to be so aggressive as to make a public spectacle out of someone who was otherwise just trying to mind her own business? Have I ever done that to someone? If I have, whoever you are, please, please forgive me. It's awful.

And of course, in the moment, word always fail me. When cornered, I usually resort to either shouting, tears, or a combination of both. Never calm articulation. But in this case words probably wouldn't have worked anyway. I probably just sent that woman on her way with the calm assuredness that I was too unstable to handle minor confrontation without screaming my head off. And you want to know what? She's right.

Stand Down, Spongebob!

2009-10-18T21:44:00.003-04:00

Grant and I do some of our best talking either on the telephone or while riding in the car at night. It probably has something to do with not having to look at one another directly in the face while speaking that makes the conversation be a little bit more flowy and candid. So tonight we were driving home from dinner at his parents house (about a 30 minute trip) and I was telling him about a story about a blogger who used to have a really funny, thought provoking little blog going and how it has gone completely south. I was searching for the right words to describe it, "... and now it's like... like..." and he said, "Like yours?"

I feigned shock and shot him a "How Could You"-face but the truth is I know what he meant. He decided to enlighten me anyway, "Well, you were pretty funny there for a while, but now it is all just filler crap." Touche.

Well, the truth is I am not a writer, but sometimes I like to write. I am not a photographer, but sometimes I like to take pictures. These things pass into and out of my life from time to time, season to season, and I am completely in touch with how fickle I really am. But when I really needle it down to the truth I must confess: the reason I lag in creativity right now is because the fall seasons started on the television and I have been using my evening brain drain for that instead. Is it a less worthy use of my time? Oh, I wish I could say no, but the truth is yes.

Upon having this realization, I started to think again about the amount of time my kids have been spending in front of screens - television, computer, video games - and how I don't want that for them. I started to think again about the over-branding of our culture and how children don't want anything to do with anything that doesn't boast the label of something that is familiar to them. Forget about ethnic food - kids won't eat anything without a McDonald's label. Don't even think about taking them to the theater - kids don't want to watch anything but the latest installment of the GI Joe saga. All of these familiarities provide them with a sense of belonging, recognition ... comfort, comfort, comfort. I just want my kids to be able to think outside of all these labels. To interpret freely what they like and dislike. But guess what? I really want the same thing for myself.

And so tonight when we got home, fresh off of the conversation/realization I had in the car, I received an email from someone talking about her impending Florida vacation. She made reference to staying at the Nickelodeon Hotel. Since I don't know this person well, and I am curious about her tastes in vacation spots, I googled Nickelodeon Hotel and this is what I found http://www.nickhotel.com/ ARE YOU KIDDING ME?? Someone would actually purchase an airplane ticket for her entire family to fly to a place where murals of Spongebob adorn the walls of their hotel room? Come on. This has to be some kind of joke. Listen here friends, it's not. (And I thought all-inclusive resorts were tacky.....) But seriously, how can you think in a place like that? How can you relax? I just don't want that for our family. But is partaking in just some of it the slippery slope into a vacation in a pineapple under the sea? I sure hope not - but maybe.

To sum it up a bit, (as always) we have some revamping to do. Just for this week, let's trade tv screens for board games. Let's trade XBox for lively debate. Let's trade the internet for extra prayer time. These are my ambitions. Let's just see if I am not too fickle to keep them.

Forget the Cookie Jar ....

2009-10-15T21:09:00.004-04:00

This kid's got his hand in the whole stinkin' pantry!

Said to Me - Chapter 2

2009-10-15T20:57:00.003-04:00

Me: My favorite color is green. Ben, what is your favorite color?

Ben: Ooooh, I like baby blue the best. Josh, what is your favorite color?

Josh: I like a mixture of blue and green. Do they call that "aqua?"

All of Us: Yes. Aqua. Or turquoise. I like that color too.

Michael: Do you wanna know what I like?

All of Us: What?

Michael: Toasters.

_______________________________________________________________

Michael: You know what I am going to wish for on Christmas?

All of Us: What?

Michael: A tissue.

If the TV Isn't a Babysitter... What the Hell Else is it For?

2009-10-14T21:25:00.003-04:00

There are a few dearly held words of wisdom that I question, that have never made sense to me. Today I will isolate one that particularly stupefies me: Don't use the TV as a babysitter. Why on earth would you turn on the TV for your kids if not for a break for yourself? My problem? I am using my "babysitter" too much.

As seen in the past, this little blog becomes somewhat of a mini-confessional for me. It is a place where I can admit my wrongdoing in the hopes of going forward without committing the same ills. So with this admission of guilt, I realize that now I need to right my wrongs, I just don't know how right now. The weather has turned cold, Annie is fighting off some respiratory ailment, and I weigh 6-zillion pounds and have no desire for physical activity. None. Enter glorious television.

I remember when I was pregnant with Michael and facing the same malady, I confided in a neighbor. She was a loud Long Islander with definite opinions on all topics. I said to her, "I just feel so guilty for letting the kids watch TV so much." And she delivered one of my most quoted pieces of advice, "So WHAT!? Sometimes you just have to do what you have to do to get by." And so now I find myself in similar waters: same guilt, same aches and pains, same cable television crutch. No solution - just wondering what people mean when they quote that little babysitter barb. TV is neither constructive nor educational - it is a (sometimes necessary) brain-drain. Plain and simple.

The next quotable quote I intend to address goes a little something like this: Never drink to get drunk. HUH?? I need a few glasses of wine before I can adequately address this one. 7 weeks and counting.

Home Early

2009-10-10T22:22:00.002-04:00

I shouldn't be on the computer right now. I should be in the forest with my family on our last campout for the year, and perhaps next year, too. One hour ago, that is exactly where I was. It was glorious. The weather was perfect, crisp and cool. We had a fire blazing and the kids were in the cabin telling funny stories. Picturesque? Charming? Yes. All of those things.

We had to leave when we walked into the cabin and heard Annie coughing and audibly wheezing. Scared us half to death - what is it? Cold? Flu? H1N1? Asthma? We have no idea, but we do have prednisone at the house, so the decision was obvious. We had to leave.

So now I am snug in my bed, watching Noggin with Annie (she seems fine), eating saltine crackers and banging away on the laptop. We'll probably go back to our campsite tomorrow morning and have breakfast and hang out, provided that the prednisone works and the wheezing stops. Want to know a secret? This is how I prefer to "camp" anyway. Eat, play games, roast marshmallows, make a fire - go home to sleep - return in the morning after a shower and eat, hike and play more games. Don't tell Grant or the kids.

For Grant

2009-10-08T09:40:00.001-04:00

Funny MySpace Pictures

Embrace Motherhood

2009-10-07T13:59:00.002-04:00

While I am certainly no techno-wizard - I hope this link will post so you can watch this video. I am so inspired by this woman - there are no words.

This just proves - beauty lies in the little things. Bathing your children, cooking their favorite breakfast, praying together. Watch this video and then bake something for your kids. I'm gonna.

http://www.oprah.com/media/20090924-tows-stephanie-struggle-crash

Must-See TV

2009-10-06T21:58:00.002-04:00

I don't know if you are interested but Stephanie Nielsen of the Nie Nie Dialogues will be on Oprah tomorrow. I may be the only person on the planet who cannot stand Oprah - but this will be good. Soooooo good.

See more here:
http://nieniedialogues.blogspot.com/

2009-10-02T23:07:00.004-04:00

In Case You Believed it Too,

2009-10-02T17:54:00.000-04:00

It wasn't true.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poisoned_candy_scare

Said to Me...

2009-09-30T12:59:00.004-04:00

Michael: "Mommy, I love you."

Me: "Michael, I love you, too."

Michael: "I love you because you look like a big ball."

______________________________________________________________

Michael: "Mommy, if it was raining chicken nuggets, would you let me go outside?"

Me: (silence. I am still thinking that one over.)

More Interesting Quotes...

2009-09-29T21:34:00.003-04:00

"You don't have to pursue that which you can attract."

"When your life is in order, peace follows naturally."

~Rev. A.R. Bernard.

It's Sticking With Me

2009-09-28T21:49:00.002-04:00

From a talk that Grant and I attended on Friday night,

"The greatest act of holiness you can perform as a parent is when your child asks for your attention, you put aside whatever it is that you are doing and give that child your attention."

Read This

2009-09-28T11:52:00.002-04:00

http://blog.cjanerun.com/2009/09/first-babies.html

I've not read another post that captures the dreariness that sometimes accompanies the vocation of motherhood quite like it. Read it. Then read it again.

Farewell Old Face... Hope to see you soon.

2009-09-27T22:17:00.005-04:00

(Photo by Michael K. Steele)

Pregnancy has a way of mangling my face. And sure enough, the inevitable has begun again. So, I am pretty sure that I am going to put the kibosh on all photos (of me, anyway) until I can be photographed holding my sweet baby daughter.

Primitive Torture Devices

2009-09-23T22:00:00.002-04:00

It is no secret that I have been feeling more than a little frumpy lately. Have I told you about my last doctor's appointment? Well, suffice it to say, I have gained more than my fair share of weight for this pregnancy and I still have about 3 months to go. I need a haircut, my nose is expanding, and my pants only fit when I wear them backwards.... don't ask.

So today, when I was trying to gussy myself up, I decided to go through my grandma's old jewelry to see if there was anything in there that might improve my visual status. In my collection of her treasures, I found a great pair of old emerald (looking) clip-on earrings. They were straight out of the 70's and they looked like just what I needed. Green is my happy color, by the way. I clipped those babies on and set off to tackle the day.

About an hour after I left, I felt the ache start to kick in. The clip-ons were starting to really pinch my ears. I didn't care. They looked great and I'd already received a compliment on them. I tried to ignore the pain. I found myself getting unnecessarily impatient with the kids. I looked down at one point and realized that I was going, like, 20 miles-per-hour over the speed limit. The pain had become too much. I pulled off the offending earrings and felt my happiness start to return. Those suckers hurt - and they were ruining my day!

And I started to think about all of the things that we (women) do in the name of fashion that are wildly uncomfortable, if not downright torture. Clip-on earrings aside, anyone remember nylons? Those sweaty, sticky, constricting pieces of synthetic fabric that I used to wear everywhere. They held in the lumps, they smoothed the bumps, and they left me hot and sweating like I was in my own personal hell. What about stilettos? I could go on and on. Eyebrow tweezing... bikini waxing... low riser jeans... thong underwear!!! Why?! Why!

And yet, complete comfort looks slovenly. I have no real desire for total comfort - I just want to preemptively reject any future fashion statement that has me barking at my children. And for now, I will stick to my grandma's circa-1980's bead necklaces. They are a lot more friendly.

Confessions of a Slob

2009-09-22T20:49:00.003-04:00

Isn't it funny how something so seemingly insignificant can trigger a memory so profound?

Here's some background. Never in my wildest imagination would I have ever thought that I would be a stay-at-home mother. I had so many preconceived notions of stay-at-home mothers. They were dowdy. They were boring. All they thought about were children and housekeeping. This wasn't for me, no way. I was going to have a life. I was going to be interesting. I wasn't good at housekeeping and I didn't want to be - I was better than that.

Fast forward to our first year of marriage, I commuted and worked and baked a baby. And once our sweet son arrived and it came time to make the decision to return to work or not - I reluctantly decided to stay at home with this little stranger - but I had no plan, no goals, and no vision. Exhaustion had clouded my view so profoundly that it guided all of my decisions. Basically, I was too tired to return to work, so I didn't.

And I became that person I feared most - uninspired, boring, and exhausted. I learned to embrace motherhood, but I did not embrace the care of the household. The mess was a source of comfort. It meant that I didn't have to housekeep. It meant that I still had a hold on my precious individuality.

Luckily, my identity crisis didn't last long. The Catholic Church crept quietly into my life and started to permeate all of the cracks that had appeared in my life. Soon, I was transfixed, transported and uplifted by all of the new ideas that were offered by our catechism classes. The fog started to roll back and I found myself awake for the first time in months. And I will never forget the day that a friend explained to me the idea that motherhood and married life are a vocation unto themelves. That they should be pursued with the same vigor as any education or career path.

Holy.Crap.
I had some major work to do.

So with the help of prayer and faith and good friends and family, I have made our marriage, these children, and the care of this house my personal mission. And ironically, I feel liberated. I feel like I am home. And I think I have done a fairly good job. There are lots of things I think I do quite well, including keeping the house neat and pretty and (mostly) clean.

This brings me back to Grant. A few days ago, he stumbled upon a small corner of our bedroom that goes hidden for the most part. It is a small parcel of our home where I throw my crap: damp towels, worn pajamas, not-quite-dirty clothes. I go through it periodically, but there is always a pile there. And Grant says to me, "When are you going to clean up this pile here?" And I said, "You leave my pile alone. It is mine. I need my pile."

He looked at me with true confusion, "Why do you still need that pile?"

Why indeed? I can clean it up - I just don't want to. Is it some remnant of my life as a slob? Does it represent some sort of silent rebellion that I haven't acknowledged?

I don't know. But I keep hearing the words, "Why do you still need that pile?" And now, I too, am wondering why.

You Ought to be in Pictures

2009-09-21T14:20:00.000-04:00

Reason #7562 Why I Love My Husband

2009-09-16T22:13:00.002-04:00

....because tonight when I decided that instead of just feeding my family cold ham and cheese sandwiches for dinner I would toast them in the George Foreman grill instead - he walked in and said, "Yummm! Croque Monsieurs!"

He can even make a stupid ham sandwich sound fancy. Love it.

How the Mighty Fall

2009-09-15T21:16:00.002-04:00

After a couple of weeks of unparalleled organization and harmony in our little household - I sit before you tonight a bit frenzied and harried after completely falling off the domestic wagon.

I won't sell anyone in our family out - but there is only one person who caused me to fall. (Just to be clear, that person is not my husband.) But his antics today sent my sweet little peace-and-order streak crashing like a house of cards.

So, as I sit here pouring a bag of mini-chocolate chips into my mouth, with the school uniforms still in the washer, and the dropped morsels of dinner still under the dinner table - I will tell you that I deserve this little "me" party right now and the rest can wait until the morning. Perhaps a good night sleep will cure whatever ailed the guilty party today and we can start over tomorrow.

Until then, it's tv and chocolate chips. Life is good.

My Cute Maternity Shirt

2009-09-14T20:44:00.005-04:00

So I have this really cute maternity top that my mom sent me a couple of months ago. It is one of those things I probably would have never have bought for myself but I really love it. It is made of the softest cotton, black, with ruching on the side, and it is completely see-through. I typically wear it with a colored tank top underneath and something dressy on the bottom. I guess what I am trying to say is that it is not just a run-of-the-mill tee shirt, it's cute.

This afternoon while the kids were doing homework, I threw in a load of whites into the washing machine. As I did this, I realized the tank top I was wearing under my cute maternity top was white and could use washing so I slipped it off, popped it in the washer, and put my top (don't forget the see-through part) back on. I mean, hey, we were alone in the house, right? Nobody here would even notice. I set about doing the rest of the dinner-homework-laundry shuffle. The kids went outside to play once they were done.

About an hour later, when it was time to collect everyone I leaned my head outside to tell the kids to come in. I saw the mother of a neighbor pass by, someone I don't see often, but really like. I waved and ran out to the street to say hello. We had a short and friendly conversation - I could tell she was distracted - she was looking everywhere but at me. I let her go and came inside with the kids.

And then I remembered: I was standing outside in a bra and a see-through shirt, completely oblivious.

Seriously.
I am losing it.

2009-09-12T19:55:00.002-04:00

The award for the most overused word of the year goes to...

AMAZING!!

(I hereby resolve not to use this word unless I am indeed amazed by something - like a flying saucer or a cure for cancer. A yummy salad is not 'amazing.' Rant over.)

Not Tonight

2009-09-11T21:06:00.003-04:00

This is the time of day that I have been designating for use of the internet. The kids are snug in their beds, my sweet husband is in the basement, the tv is off and all is peace and quiet. Usually before I write on my own little blog, I check out my usual haunts, blogs that have spoken to me in one way or the other over the years. I am sure that I have linked to all of them from time to time. Tonight, everyone else on my elite list of blog-sites has said everything that I might possibly say. I would take the time to link to the posts, but I don't have any energy for that. Suffice it to say, I have nothing left to say.

My only wish is for you to have a lovely evening. I am about to embark on one myself -

Plus, I got a new book.

Sage Advice

2009-09-10T20:52:00.004-04:00

Do you know what I am talking about if I say that sometimes domestic peace is palpable? I mean, sometimes when I walk into a house that is particularly peaceful and orderly there is a feeling I get. It makes my shoulders relax. It makes me want to stop talking so loud and just soak it in. More often than not, these are Christ-centered homes - families who are striving in holiness. All I can say is that it is working.

Today, in our house, amid the crush of homework Ben discovered that he had left a critical piece of work at school - and fell apart upon the discovery. I wish I could say that my initial reaction was one of rationality and peace, but since disoganization is one of Ben's signatures - I was terrifically irritated. So after going back and forth with him, I finally got ahold of another parent of a child in Ben's class and she agreed to photocopy the work in question so Ben could get it done. We ran across town - grabbed the paper - ran home to wolf down dinner - and finally began homework much too late. He finished it because I baled him out.

So, later this evening I had to run to a neighbor's house. Immediately upon entering, I got that feeling. Her house was so quiet, it smelled like warm and wholesome food, and her many children were sitting at the kitchen table finishing up a board game. My neighbor is a veteran homeschooler as well. When I finally adjusted my harried voice to the pitch of her home, I explained my evening to her. "That kid is never going to learn," I said. "He is a bright kid but organization is what is going to stand between him and success." Quietly, my neighbor said to me, "You know, in my experience, I have never had to reteach something that my kids have had to learn on their own. Sometimes natural consequences have the biggest impact."

I let the silence and the weight of her statement hit me for a minute. Natural consequences.

She's right.

God bless her.

I Am Most Creative When I Am Procrastinating

2009-09-09T22:21:00.003-04:00

And right now I am procrastinating reading Jane Austen.

Where will I gather my inspiration when I give it up and admit that it is boring?

My poor blog will never see me again once I get a new book.

Make New Friends...

2009-09-08T20:05:00.003-04:00

Make new friends, but keep the old.
One is silver, the other... blue and green camoflauge.

In my life, I have been very, very lucky in love. Each and every chapter of my personal history has a cast of characters who have been loyal, interesting, and loving. Some of these relationships have faded into history, some have ended abruptly and for a reason, and some have endured the tests of time and challenge. Today, one of my most cherished relationships ended - and I owe it to myself to pay homage to my loyal comrade: my blue and green camoflauge flip flops.

The story starts a long time ago. I was heavily pregnant with my daughter when I played host to my aunt and her son, my cousin. My aunt (you must understand this part of the story in order to comprehend the next) is the single most generous person I have ever met. She would literally give you the shirt off her back. While she was at my house she gave me a large can of professional quality hairspray, two bracelets off her wrist, brought all of the kids gifts and purchased all of our meals while she stayed. We had a nice week and before long, they were gone. When I went into her room after she left to change the sheets and tidy up, I found that she had left a pair of black flip flops under the bed. I slipped them on my feet and our relationship began.

We had a good thing going on for a while, me and those black flip flops. We went everywhere together. At first I felt so guilty for keeping them, I even went online to order my own pair and send the originals to their rightful owner. But, when I discovered that they cost more than $50 (they were flip flops, mind you) I justified keeping them by figuring that my aunt would probably just give them to me if she knew how much I loved them. Hey, she gave me her hairspray, right? Every time I wore those shoes I loved them more, but like anything that is not really yours, I felt a pinge of guilt when I wore them. When I looked at them, I wondered if they were missed by their owner. I didn't really care. They were soft and delicious on my tired feet.

Soon after I gave birth to my daughter, I paid a trip home to visit my family. Of course, I brought with me my ill-gotten shoes. They would be the perfect for travelling. I wore them boldly, brashly in front of my family always hoping that nobody would notice. On the last day of my trip, my aunt pointed to my feet and declared, "ARE THOSE MY SHOES?" I admitted it and painfully, heartbreakingly parted with my - her shoes. Yes, she took them back.

My heart was broken. My feet suffered. I had to wear my nice shoes on the trip home and I had no idea how I was going to proceed. When I got home there was a white grocery bag on my doorstep with a note, "You're going to love these." Inside were a new pair of blue and green camoflauged flip flops - and as if sent by heaven by way of my girlfriend - a new relationship began. But this time it was for real - these babies were mine.

It was love from the first try-on. These shoes feel like walking on marshmallows on top of pillows on top of clouds. They feel like going barefoot but better. They have never stretched out no matter how often I've worn them and I have worn them a lot. But unlike the fancy black flip flops my aunt reclaimed, these suckers aren't pretty. I have had to endure scorn and public ridicule for my choice in footwear. People with more fashion and more vanity that I have called me out. "Get some new shoes!" they scoff. Not until the soles of my feet are dragging on the ground.

And so my flip flops have gone everywhere with me. I have worn them elegantly with a sundress or functionally with socks under my jeans. They have hiked in the Shenandoah, sunned in the beaches of North Carolina and comforted me every step of my journey of life. To say that I treasure these shoes is to understate: they have become a part of me.

Lately my beloveds have shown signs of wear and I have feared for their demise. I have gone to various department stores to try and replace them, but to no avail. After a day or so of suffering through discomfort, I dig out my camo shoes and our relationship endures another day. But this weekend, the final straw. The places where they are ripped have started to drag on the ground causing me to lose my balance and trip - and when it comes to my own well-being, not to mention the well-being of my precious unborn child - well, the decision was made. The time has unfortunately come.

It was only apropos that it was drizzly and grey this morning when we set out for the shopping mall to find replacement shoes. We battled the rain and finally got to the destination where I had been assured that I would find a comparable replacement. I walked in tentatively, feeling a bit like I was perusing eHarmony after the death of my spouse. Slowly but surely I began to try on shoes and finally stumbled on a sweet pair of silver Mary Janes that gave me that same feeling of ahhhhh that lovers past have offered. My feet melted into them. I think this is the start of a wonderful relationship.

The sun was out when we left the shopping center. The rays glinted off the silver and especially sparkled when touched by the leftover rain from this morning's shower. Goodbye old friends, I thought. Goodbye.

Soul Food

2009-09-04T19:25:00.003-04:00

My son Michael wants to be a chef when he grows up. Last year it was been pretty obsessive actually. He talked about it and planned for it. He assigned each of the other kids various functions around his imagined restaurant. He picked out certain dishes that he would like to serve. He was pretty stuck on the idea of blueberry pie for a while until we actually made blueberry pie and he practically spit it out. That won't be featured on his menu. This year I have noticed that maybe he hasn't been too enthusiastic about being a chef. Sure, he still wears his Chef Michael apron and tries to help me around the kitchen but I can tell that maybe he has reconsidered a bit. This week, my suspicions have been confirmed. When I asked him if he still wants to be a chef when he grows up he said yes, but that he'd also like to be a firefighter.

Typically, I would feel sort of sad that he doesn't want to be chef anymore. Like the time when instead of saying "helicocker," Ben corrected himself and pointed out a perfectly pronounced "helicopter." But this week I am happy because I have had time to sit down and talk with Michael about the things that are on his mind. School started this week which means half of my children are out of the house for the majority of the day. I have spent most of the week pushing little ones on the swings, playing outside in the sandbox, and talking about the little things that come into their little minds. And even though my life has gloriously slowed down, but body has slowed as well. I am moving a little slower these days. Getting out of a chair takes a little bit more effort.

On Thursday, we performed our usual little-kid activities. We went on a walk in the morning and to the playground in the midday for lunch. I packed food and water for the little ones but I didn't think to pack anything for myself. The kids played and ate happily and we left just in time to make one stop at home to use the restroom, drop off our picnic gear, grab the car keys and run to grab the big kids from school. We walked in the door and each of us went our separate ways in order to get back out the door in time. I didn't notice what anyone was doing until we were walking out the door and Michael handed me a plate with a ham sandwich on it. He said, "Mommy, I made you a sandwich because I saw that you didn't have a chance to eat. I put extra mayonnaise on it because I know you like it."

And for about the millionth time this week, the waterworks started. I sat with my beautiful ham sandwich and cried for all the incredible blessings of my life. I cried with gratitude for my precious son. I cried for how fortunate I am to be surrounded by all of these beautiful children and how individual and unique each of them are - and for the individual lessons that they have taught me. I cried because I was starving and I really, really like mayonnaise.

So, I don't know if Michael will ever become a chef. It doesn't really matter. What does matter is the fact that I am able to sit and talk with him about all of the options that are available to him throughout the rest of his life. It matters that I be present to him, and have a willing and able ear to lend him during the major turning points of his life. But what I do know is that if indeed he does become a chef, nothing he will prepare will ever be as lovely as that sandwich.

Keep it Real

2009-09-03T21:36:00.003-04:00

Today I had an experience that was so mindblowingly irritating that just thinking about it sends shockwaves of frustration through my wildly pregnant body. I would tell you about it, but that would mean telling you who it was, and I just can't find it in myself to do that. You see, I am painfully afraid of hurting someone's feelings.

Don't worry. It wasn't you. Ten-thousand bucks says it wasn't anyone you've ever even met or heard of before and I shouldn't be so afraid to reveal little things about people if it means telling a good story, but I am. And I think that is what stands in the way of my being an effective writer. Sure, the stuff I say might get a little guffaw here and there - but when it is a whole lot of I's and not a whole lot of why's my stories might delve into the tedious.

What good is exposition if it doesn't really expose anything? Sure, I can make things up here and there that might parallel reality, but the effect tends to be lackluster compared to the rawness of the truth. If you don't get to know me any better after investing the time to read my posts, you have wasted your time. If I said something like, "I tend to have a humorous outlook on life because growing up, my dad used to spray paint political messages on the side of his truck and drive us around town" you would tune me out - because that couldn't have really happened, could it?

So I sit at a crossroads between keeping-it-real and becoming a fiction writer. The latter of which I have absolutely no interest in. I come here seeking reflection and revelation. And just to be clear: no spray paint has ever touched the side of my dad's truck. And that, my dears, is the truth.

The Quest for Cool

2009-09-02T20:28:00.004-04:00

I absolutely despise having to purchase birthday gifts for the friends of my children. It is not because I don't want to be generous, and it is not because I have anything in particular against gift-giving, but typically the types of gifts I enjoy giving are not the types of gifts that children like receiving. Today I found myself in the typical minefield of the toy aisle of Target - torn between the art supplies that I want to buy and the flashy new toys that the kids have seen on a commercial. Whether it was the bliss that this cooler weather has brought to my demeanor, or the warm fuzzies that I am experiencing from being able to spend quality time with my littlest children (school started on Monday), today I caved and bought the Bakugan that my 5-year old wanted to buy. Not only did I buy one for his friend but I bought one for him so he could play along. An uncharacteristically "cool" gift from the Steele kids. I justified it by telling myself that the little kids would just basically toss them around and soon forget about them - and the big kids wouldn't be interested in them anyway. They've never had any Bakugan, the wouldn't care about it, right?

Here's the thing: I don't want to buy cool gifts. (I just realized how stupid that statement was considering that I was shopping at the Target. What did I expect?) That stems from the fact that I have no real interest in my children being cool. I want them to think outside of the Pokemon, fight the Clone Wars. But more than that, I don't want them to feel like they need to do what every one else is doing in order to have validation. Yet everytime I dig in my heels and really own what I espouse, a little something inside of me imagines my despondent kids pushing one of these things around the neighborhood -

while the rest of the kids are lighting off bottle rockets and riding around on motorcycles. I feel sort of bad for them - but if having an unwavering faith, a working knowledge of literature and art, and the ability to hold intellegent conversation is wrong I don't want to be right. I just hope they don't want to be right, either.

So Michael brought home his Bakugan and just as I thought, he tossed it around for a while and moved along to something else. I sighed a little bit of relief and went to gather my big kids from school. Upon seeing Michael's toy, they screeeamed with delight and said "Michael, let me show you how to play this. All the kids in school play Bakugan at recess!" Then Josh ran up to me and hugged my legs tightly and said, "Mommy, you're the coolest."

Yikes.

On the Power of Suggestion and Comfortable Shoes

2009-09-01T20:12:00.002-04:00

So if you are reading this (and you are) you probably know by now that I am pregnant. And if I have been less than attentive to this blog in the past several months, it is because I haven't wanted to talk about being pregnant. And while the topic is paramount inside my own mind, I don't want to count down the days (95 to be exact), I don't want to talk about how cute I look (I don't), and I don't want to answer the question "So, is this it?" (I don't know.)

But if you construe this as negative, it is really not. I am thrilled to be welcoming another child into this household. I recognize that God has bestowed a tremendous gift on our family and I am a gracious and willing recipient. I am confident that I have a strong and healthy body that will accomodate our desire to bring children into this world - that is, until someone suggests that I can't - and then it all falls to pieces.

You see, my confidence in my abilities rests almost exclusively in the hands of those around me. I am a sucker for a spontaneous compliment, however, the seed of doubt proves to be a formidable opponent for me. So, I do my best to keep the doubters at bay by making sure I look presentable when I go out - you know, brush my teeth, wipe the makeup off from underneath my eyes, put on nice shoes. That way, the doubters won't be tempted to doubt. They'll think, "She can do this!" And then, so will I.

So last week I had an appointment at the ~~birth-control pusher~~ Ob/Gyn's office and found myself without a babysitter and needing to bring all 4 children to my prenatal appointment. This would be the lion's den of discomfort for me: six-months pregnant, trying to keep 4 small children quiet in a place of business, and having a visual stare-off with the Doctor when I try to answer her with confidence, "No. I don't plan on tying my tubes at the end of this pregnancy." I decided to head it off before it could start - I dressed everyone up in their Sunday best, put on my cutest sundress and donned my 4-inch espadrille wedges. Nobody better dare say anything negative to me: we look fabulous.

I was feeling tentatively confident by the time that they called my name to be seen. The nurse walked me and my ducklings back to the scale to face facts. She read me the number and the net increase over the past month. The kids were quiet, my backbone strengthening, and then she said it, "Well, you're doing great girl. And with all these kids - I can't believe you're still walking around in tall ol' shoes." I looked down at my feet, slowly sinking into drying concrete, and had the sensation that I couldn't take one more step. Her mere suggestion that my shoes looked uncomfortable struck me lame in the middle of the hallway leading to the examination room. I realized that I needed to get ahold of myself and hobbled on to finish the appointment.

Upon driving home, I had to give myself a reality check. It doesn't matter what anyone else thinks, way down deep, in the places that are available to only me - I truly believe that I am a worthy and able candidate for the job that I have undertaken. Who cares if the clerk in the grocery store shakes her head when my 2-year old won't stop crying in line? WE are happy - and I have to believe that God is happy, too. And that is really what matters, right? But, if I did take anything away from my little crisis, I realized the nurse was right: My life is better when I wear comfortable shoes.

Elevation

2009-08-31T20:40:00.003-04:00

Tonight I am feeling very sophisticated. Instead of slumming it on network television, I have opted to watch my old favorite "Antiques Roadshow." I have to say that I don't feel nearly as dirty watching experts appraise Charles Dickens' handwritten letters as I do watching 20-somethings get drunk and throw their bodies around like trash on "The Bachelorette." (Don't let my bravado fool you, I have never missed a season of "The Bachelor" or "The Bachelorette," for that matter, did you hear Aaron Buerge just got married?)

And in keeping with my newfound mental elevation, I am resolving to put down my beach trash, and begin to read Jane Austen. Pride and Prejudice to be specific. Because I have never read it. There, I admit it: I have never read a Jane Austen novel in my life. Do you think I will be smarter when I finish it? I don't know. Perhaps my writing will reflect my newfound literacy? I don't know. I will endeavor to inform you in a fortnight.

This brings me to my third and final resolution for the week: I am going to try to update this blog more frequently rather than waiting for any sort of intellectual stimulation over on Facebook. Perhaps it is because I am a latecomer to the Facebook party or perhaps it is because I have no interest in seeking out all of my failed friendships and adding them to my "friends list" - but I am seriously tired of trying to decipher cryptic messages like "You know what I'm sayin....... ;)" from people I hardly know. I have used more emoticons in my experience on Facebook than I would care to admit and my sprawling vocabulary (joke) has been reduced to "LMAO" or "WTF?" Yes folks, I actually responded to post the other day by writing "WTF". Which is worse? Having never read Jane Austen or frequent and sundry use of abbreviations and emoticons? IDK. I will spend the rest of this week trying to rectify both wrongs.

(or is it that I have never missed a "Bachelor" season. Sorry. That one I won't change.)

Just Thinkin...

2009-08-31T00:11:00.002-04:00

I am lying here waiting to fall asleep. Upon waking tomorrow morning I will be catapulted back into the drudgery of school. It is no wonder that sleep doesn't come easily tonight. My life will change drastically tomorrow and I am ill prepared for it's onset.

Really, aside from the physical strains of dragging children out of bed, to the breakfast table, to school on time, to friends houses to play, home to do homework - my ill preparedness comes from a melancholy attached to knowing that I will spend the majority of my day away from the people who bring me the most joy: my precious family. And like any anxiety induced insomnia, thought begets thought.

My dad has always asserted that time is a "manmade construct." I wholeheartedly disagree. But perhaps it exists not like we imagine with our western minds - but more like the Native Americans asserted. As if we are staring down a well and all "time" is existing at once. Wouldn't it make sense that even in my most happy of times I am pinched with a strange melancholy, an urge to weep for the beauty of it all? Wouldn't it make sense, that somewhere out there, an aged me is looking back on now and wishing that she could have it all back? Does her sadness touch me here? Does my joy and peace now bring her any solace?

These are the times that I will cherish for the rest of my life: the late mornings in pajamas, sun-soaked children sleeping under fans for the summer heat, fresh fruit for breakfast, silly songs, walks to the playground, drying tears for skinned knees. These are the moments I will miss while my children are away.

These are the moments I will wish for when I am a little old lady.

Life's A Beach

2009-08-07T20:36:00.004-04:00

Do you know how much I love the beach? Well, a lot. And lucky us, we're still here.

I have a lot more photos to post and a lot more to write. I have derived a lot of inspiration from this little trip of ours. Mostly I am just thankful for the moments I have gotten to spend, uninterrupted, with my glorious husband and precious children. And tonight, as they all sleep and I peruse the many, many pictures that we have taken - I cannot help but well up with gratitude for the many fortunes that we have been afforded in this life.

More to come,,,, many many more to come!

Announcement....

2009-07-22T13:33:00.004-04:00

............it's a girl!!

I get more excited as the reality of it sets in. In 4 months I will be a mother to TWO daughters and Annie will have a little sister.

It doesn't get any cooler than this.

Girls Day Out

2009-07-15T16:36:00.002-04:00

Annie and her great-grandmother, Mimi.

Break

2009-07-09T19:12:00.001-04:00

This little blog break has been brought to you by a venture into Facebook-land. I can't decide if I will stay there or not.

Happy 4th of July

2009-07-06T08:31:00.001-04:00

I hope your day was filled with sparklers and smoke bombs. Burgers and Bike Parades. Fun and Friends and Family.

I love this day.

Funny

2009-07-01T18:49:00.002-04:00

I received this in my inbox yesterday - and it made me giggle.

I usually like a challenge...

2009-06-22T20:26:00.000-04:00

My mom asked me recently why I never take pictures of all of the kids together. Here's why....
Because they usually end up looking like this,
or this,
or this.

2009-06-22T20:18:00.000-04:00

My Love...

2009-06-17T13:58:00.002-04:00

I have realized lately that my dear husband is the oft neglected subject on this little journal of mine. But today is a very special day in our history together - so without further ado - join me in a swoon down memory lane............

Ten years ago today, my life as I know it now began. I didn't know it then, but this handsome young gentleman, who seemed to be taking an interest in me - would turn out to be the love of my life. From the very beginning, Grant was one thing that I was absolutely positively certain about. And nothing has ever changed. Never once have I ever questioned his virtue, his strength, his ability to lead a family - or my unfailing, passionate love for him. There are few lovestories in history that have such an unflinching certainty to them. How fortunate we are to say that we are participating in writing such a lovestory. My life is so richly blessed.

Our life in the beginning was filled with eagerly anticipated dates. We would take long walks in the woods, go on canoe rides, cook dinner together, and talk, and talk, and talk... about everything. All of our hopes for the future, anecdotes from our day, funny stories. It wasn't long before who I was was so intertwined with who he was that the thought of separation was physically painful - and yet we did endure a long physical separation - but our hearts remained so fantasically connected that we knew that this was forever. I have to say - I knew long before that, but the separation sealed the deal: We will spend forever together. I knew it then and I know it now.

And so today I look backward, as I do every year at about this time, and I recall the wonder and beauty that started it all - but I can't help but notice all the beauty that is surrounding me right this minute. Grant and I have a beautiful, passionate, romantic life that is centered around a faith that will take us into eternity. We have built a life that focuses on the Lord and the gifts that abound from that faith are too many to count. Our house is alive with the joy and laughter that come from a life built on love. Love for the Lord, love for our family, and love for eachother. We still have all of the things that wooed us into infatuation with eachother but now we find ourselves with so much more: more house, more children, more responsibilities - more joy, more laughter, more love.

I love you LB, not just today, but always. 10 years down and a lifetime to go.....

The Funniest Thing Ever.

2009-06-12T14:28:00.003-04:00

So, I have a tool at the bottom of my blog that tells me what google searches landed a particular individual on my blog. I have seen people googling my maiden name - perhaps from high school? - and they get a glimpse of all this awesomeness! Yesterday I was looking through the google searches and found a particularly perplexing one:

"Sharon Steele Bankrobber"

While I know that I am not the only Sharon Steele out there, it still seems funny, don't you think? So I decided to google it myself - and sure enough a one Sharon M. Steele (which is my other middle initial) robbed 2 banks in Omaha, NE.

I don't have time right now, but I have a recurring daydream that I will one day become a serial bankrobber. True Story. I waffle between wanting to be a serial bankrobber or a cat-burglar. I tend more towards wanting to be a cat-burglar - because I am pretty sure that I would never get caught. Nevertheless, you can check out the story here: http://kansascity.fbi.gov/dojpressrel/pressrel07/bankrobberies030107.htm

I wonder what she looks like........

Retro

2009-06-09T21:04:00.000-04:00

This is probably one of my favorite pictures in our archives. I post it only to make myself laugh. (If you get a giggle out of it, too - bonus!)

Letter to my Brother

2009-06-09T16:10:00.002-04:00

Dear Brother.
Two of my favorite bloggers are on vacation. These devoted writers update their blogs daily - providing me with lots of interesting, thoughtful, funny, witty, inspirational material for my daily brain drain.

I am writing to you today to ask you to fill the void. Write a little something every day this week because if you don't I won't be able to sit idly and stare at a screen musing at someone else's thoughts - and we all know this is my favorite pastime. If you don't - I will be forced to watch TV - and we can't let that happen, can we? Daytime TV - blech.

Make my wishes come true.
Kisses,
Your Sister

What is Wrong With Me?

2009-06-09T15:59:00.002-04:00

Yesterday, I took a particularly strenuous walk. My legs were wobbly and tired when I got home - a terrific workout.

Today, I wake up and my arms are sore. What?!

Tomorrow I am going to sit at home and eat those eclairs. I will tell you how it goes.

Yummmmm, eclairs!

All I'm Sayin' Is...

2009-06-05T18:49:00.003-04:00

... that I've never been much to take comfort in food. Sure, I love to eat, but it doesn't keep me warm at night. But if I had a dozen chocolate eclairs sitting in front of me right now I would eat every single one of them... and perhaps want more.

It's been that kind of day.

Walk it Off

2009-06-04T15:46:00.004-04:00

Most every morning I take my youngest children on a walk. It is the event that sets our day on the right foot; we get out, get our hearts pumping, sweat it out a bit - and return to conquer our day. It started out that way, anyway. It seems our walk has turned into much more. It has given me an invigorated view of humanity.

I'd call myself a people person. I love that moment when you meet they eyes of a passerby, they smile at your kids and return into anonymity. But I have become increasingly wary of the "cords & batteries" culture. It seems that everyone is plugged-in to something - be it their ipod, cell phone, gps, blackberry, bluetooth (For the love of anything, why must people use the bluetooth? It looks SO idiotic. I saw a woman in the 7-11 last week in a full burkha, only her eyes showing, and peeking out from the side of her robe was her bluetooth. Bizarre. I digress.) Information is being pumped into our heads from so many different stimuli, it leaves precious little room for conversation and civility.

And so we have embarked on our daily 3 miles and entered the land of the living. As we walked past the grounds crew on the main boulevard in our neighborhood, they shut off their blowers as not to get grass clippings in our eyes. We exchanged pleasantries as we passed - us in English - them en Espanol - and it was lovely. Neighbors we've never met make comments like "Can I get in the stroller?" and we laugh and pass by. And then today, we were out and the kids were whining that it was too hot. At the point of no return, the whining had escalated in to full-fledged crying when a woman who was outside ran into her house and returned to meet us with 2 popsicles. Immediately their ceased crying - and mine almost began. How thoughtful, how decent, how civil. That woman made me happy - not just for the moment - but happy with my fellow man.

My goodness, we need to get off the stinking cell phones and pay attention to the people who are passing by us on a daily basis. If our lives can be so touched by a simple popsicle, how much would a hot meal mean to a family with a deployed father? Or what would a quick errand mean to a local elderly person who can't get out? I just realized that in all my angst I haven't been the neighbor I could be, either. From this point on I vow to stay off of the treadmill, and keep on walking the hills of my neighborhood - and this time actually pay attention. It is good for my body and my soul.

In a Cabin in the Woods

2009-05-29T07:36:00.001-04:00