What makes my sleeping babies so irresistable?

Creativity

It all started so innocently, Sophia and her girlfriend, playin' dollhouse in our bedroom.

There was a neatly set up dollhouse with all the trimmings.

Whoa there...what's this. Is there some sort of captial punishment going on here?

I just can't believe it happened in our town. To the FP Loving Family of all people! Even ye olde slovak mama was not exempt.

I asked Sophia why they strung their dolls from strings. Her reply, "they wouldn't marry". Imagine if we did this to all the single gals of the world.

Along these same lines, the other day Elijah told me he wanted a fighting man with a sword for his birthday. I asked him why and he replied, "so he can chop heads". I was so surprised. Is this normal boyness? The most violence he's ever seen is Milo and Otis...huh?

It's been one of those weeks

You know, the kind that you want to smile about...Knoebels on Monday, buggy ride on Thursday, fitting in those last fun trips before school begins... But you get worn out from and try to act bright eyed...

And when things are finally looking brighter you lock you keys in your car far from home and try to get "help" from a bossy amish man... Til finally you decide to just head straight for the booney lin (that's looney bin in sleep deprived parent language...do you speak that language?) instead...

I'm so glad Daddy's almost home for a whole three days. I locked my keys in the car right before our amish buggy ride and after several attempts for help from the owner of the buggy rides and some other people we finally got a locksmith to come and get the keys out...ack!

Some weeks I get discouraged because by Thursday my laundry is folded in baskets but still not put away (I do laundry on Monday, almost each and every week). This week, I was just so happy that it was in a basket at all by Friday. Why is laundry directly related to mental stability for the SAHM? Why are there no sheets left even though I just did the laundry? Why is my face beginning to have wrinkles? Why does my table have a white film on the top of it?

I think I know the answer to the last question...because when a little boy puts "a little bit of salt" on his cucumbers, he in fact, dumps salt all over his plate. Then his inquisitive little brother decides to investigate and there you have the white salt film residue. It took me all week to figure that one out. I just kept wiping and wondering.

So, my week in a nutshell, getting dunked and trying to come up for air in between. Some weeks are just like that, and I need to learn to give thanks for the bad right along with the good. The Lord knew each problem that would come my way this week, and he intended them for my good. "In every thing give thanks, for this is the will of God, in Christ Jesus concerning you." "Giving thanks always for all things." Even when they sip chicken noodle soup with straws and shoot their noodles out the ends of the straws at each other.

Priceless moments, people.

A few funnies

I can't keep up with the funnies lately...

When the kids were going for a walk and there weren't enough seats in the stroller Sophia said, "Daddy, if we had a mustache (mustang), no one would have to walk"!

While combing Sophia's hair she said, "ouch, you're touching my sensible spot".

After promising Elijah a smartie in the car, we got home and Elijah said, "hey, where's my farty?".

That's all for now...

Old Phrase New Phrase

Did you ever hear the phrase, "if you don't have anything nice to say, then don't say anything at all"? Well, I've been thinking, and I think it should go more like this: "If you don't have anything nice to say, then find something nice and say it". Don't lie, but find something nice to say. There is something nice to say in any situation. Silence says something too, kwim?

Here's Alyssa's day too!

I can't believe I didn't post about her special day. Well, here it is. Alyssa was born in March to my good friend J. She is J&M's fourth baby. All of their children are born on the 7th of the month. Actually in the first four consecutive months of the year like 1/7, 2/7, 3/7, and 4/7, followed by their Mommy on 5/7. How cool is that?

We celebrated her birthday back in May, but with the busy-ness that the month of May brings, I forgot to post pictures. Here's the birth-day sweetie herself...

Doesn't looking at these make you hungry?

This is my sister's insanely delicious Spinach/Artichoke dip. I think it is my favorite appetizer on the face of the planet. Soooo good. All I did the whole night was eat it. I sent it home with someone else. I just couldn't have it in my house.

Sleeping beauty...

Baby Shower

Last week was baby shower time again! My good friend Alison and her hubs welcomed daughter #3 in June and we just had to celebrate her!

As I planned sweet baby Sarah's baby shower I mused that I don't think I can remember how many baby/bridal showers I have helped to plan even in the last almost 8 years since I have been married. Showers are so much fun! I remember my bridal shower, my first shower, and looking at all the beautiful gifts that I received and feeling so loved by our church family, friends, and family. It was such a wonderful day! Babies are an especially important time to celebrate. They are each such a blessing from the Lord and what better time to encourage a girlfriend but when they are exhausted from being up all night with a baby!? So, in the words of Jane Austen's Emma, "let's throw a party for her!"

Sarah, the princess! Isn't she purty?

Let them eat cake!

Welcome baby water bottles. I saw this idea on another blog. It's cute and easy. No cleanup, can I hear an amen?

Sarah insisted on having a friend to her party. Alyssa had a party too just a few months ago, but I didn't take many pictures. Perhaps I'll dig up some photos of that to share. Those big blues smite me every time I look at this cutie pie!

The favors were pink nailpolishes from an exciting CVS shopping spree!

I'm sure my sister has better pictures from this day, but I thought I'd share the few that I have. Welcome to the world baby Sarah!

The Powder Room

This room has been through about 5 coats of paint since we moved in. I *thought* red would be a good idea. I love me some red, but after three coats of red paint and still having hot pink walls, I threw in the towel. I think there were two problems. 1. I should have had tinted primer. I asked the sales clerk at the hardware store about this and he assured me that I wouldn't need it. Oh well. 2. The color was a bit too candy reddy-ish. Just too pink, even with the fourteen thousand coats it would have taken to get the true to paint chip color.

Back to the paint picking drawing board. I can't tell you how many times I have been there these last several months. I chose a dark greenish brownish. I think it was called moss something or other. It's actually two shades darker than our living room/dining room.

This is the only before picture I have of the room. I should have taken a picture of it during it's crimson threw up pinkish red during the color crisis of 2008, but it just hurt my eyes too much to do that.

After many months of stalled decorating, I think she's finally done.

The only thing that I think I need is something for the bottom shelf of the cabinet above the toilet. When I bought the little picture frames I thought there were only three shelves. Wouldn't a little birds nest with three eggs be cute on that shelf? One to represent each of my little chicks? That's for another time as I am calling it done in this room for now. Yay, yay, and hooray!

What I did with $10

I am jumping on the "it doesn't have to be perfect to be beautiful bandwagon" and posting my first attempt at curtain mistreatments! Be sure to head over to the Nesting Place for more exciting curtainage!


These are mistreatments in our master bath. I got two valances at Ross for $3.99 and two of the white "u" rods (not sure what they are called exactly) from Wally World for $.99 each. Then I got my safety pins and folded and pinned until I liked the way it looked.

The decor is not finished. The picture needs to be hung higher, the spikey greenery potted thingy needs to be bigger so that will need to be changed, but you get the idea.

Do you see a pin?
More of pins...

Hopefully I'll be able to put pictures of the powder room up later today. There's no window in there, but I hit great clearance at Jo-Ann for decor!

Am I the bad one?

I took this quiz and I think that Marianne Dashwood was the bad sister who ran off with the bady boy, is that right? It's been so long since I've watched a Jane Austen flick. I wasn't sure how to answer some of the questions...I think I'm trying to justify my "bad girl" results! :)

Take the Quiz here!

Quote of the Day

Elijah is turning 4 in October. Today I was asking him what he wanted for his birthday. He stutters when he's nervous or excited (I think it's cute). "I..I..I..I want a fighting man with a humongous gun! And...and...and..and...an army man with a..a...saw for cutting heads!"

HUH? Where did he get that? We don't watch TV where he would see violence, etc. I suppose boys are just boys.

Come to Cherish the Moment again where you will hear uplifting, inspiring and thoughtful quotes. *smile*

New Rug

This is the cheap-o cheap-o JCPenney Outlet rug I got for our family room...ain't it purty? I used my birthday money from Graeme's Mom & Dad...thanks guys!

Hey, this isn't the rug, it's my dirty kitchen floor. Just keepin' it real. :)

Our Famous Bedroom

Do you remember our bedroom conundrum from earlier this year? We couldn't decide what color to paint our bedroom. We also had major curtain issues. Here are some ever so lovely before pictures of the room for your viewing displeasure.

I think the room was confused. Green paint, Red/rust bedding. Tan curtains. I was clueless. I knew I liked the bedding, but I didn't know what to do about it. Enter Antique Mommy's design blog. If you click the hyperlink to her blog, you'll have to scroll down a few posts to read what she had to say about our bedroom.

Our bedroom is now my favorite room in the new house. I am in love with the dark, rich color. It's so cozy and warm. I am so thankful for Antique Mommy's design blog. Her posts really helped me learn fundamental design knowledge. I cannot tell you how many times I wanted to buy a cute accessory for the house, but I didn't because Antique Mommy says to work big to small; meaning start with the biggest parts of the room (paint, furniture) then move to windows then to the small accessories, etc.

I love all the accessories and am totally bored with the process of curtains and the boring nitty gritty hanging of pictures, etc. I just like to get things done, but I learned that I need to start big and get the big obnoxious things done first and then move to the fun parts. I think a lot of the reason I don't like the big things are because they are things that Graeme has to do, but Daddy's in demand and I don't like to always bug him to do more decorating when there are three little kiddos anticipating his arrival home and wanting to "play wrestle" with him. It's such a balance, you know!?

So here are some pictures of our bedroom. For the record, the Ficus tree from Jamesway circa 1995 has to go, but that's for another time, so let's just imagine that it's a beautiful african palm tree, shall we?

Now I'm on to the master bath...any ideas on what to do in here? The topiary is outta there...doesn't fit the look.

Happy Monday!

Doesn't this brighten a dreary Monday??

Halfway to "adulthood"

Wasn't 12 years old considered adulthood in Bible days? If so, my "baby" is halfway there. Sophia turned 6 two weeks ago! She has changed so much. I'm starting to forget what she was like as a baby and what she looked like as a baby. She was soooo chubby!!! It's hard to imagine now that she's getting so tall and thin.

Here's my baby as a baby...


Here's my baby now...


Sophia is our determined one. She is our natural, born leader, and when she was younger, I used to think that was a bad trait. She could really wear a body down. :) However, the older she is getting, the more I am realizing what a blessing her strong personality is. She is a hard worker and isn't afraid of challenges. She is creative and thinks "outside of the box". She is such a good helper! I am so thankful that the Lord gave her to us first. I need her to help me take care of the boys. :) I hope that she uses her strong personality to stand up for the things that are right as she gets older. Her personality is a blessing, a great big in your face blessing. :)

It's wonderful to have a little girl in the house. She is very girly, and she does have two brothers who she runs and rough-houses with quite often. I like to think of her as both a girly-girl and a tom-boy at the same time. I love that she wants to learn to paint, quilt, and craft,and that she loves bugs, balls, and string. It's fun to be able to do all of these special things with her.

Her latest is that she wants to be an artist. Someone was playing the piano beautifully at church and I leaned over and whispered, "would you like to do that someday". She replied, "no, I'm going to be an artist". Her drawings are getting more detailed and I am so happy that she has been writing sentences and notes to people on her own. I wondered when all of that was teaching was going to click with her (hey, I'm a newbie homeschooler).

As I mentioned before, she loves butterflies, so she wanted a butterfly cake. She wanting to use my house cake pan, so it ended up being a "butterfly house" cake. Last year I let her do a lot of the decorating of her cake by herself so this year I was stuck...she wanted to do it again. Long term, I think her learning to decorate cakes will be a good thing! Here is her smarties encrusted, butterfly adorned, purply (she loves purple), loverly birthday cake.


Here's some of our decorations. She wanted her party at our house, mostly so we could do this...

The birthday kids...Joey turned 5 four days before Sophia...

Ice cream flower desserts...

On her actual birthday, we did candles...just candles...in the master bathroom...ghetto style, kwim?! You have to make do sometimes.

Presents on our bed...

Noah, standing on a present, what do you expect?

Sophia and her doll from Lily and Co.

Happy birthday sweetheart. We love you soooo much and are so thankful that God gave you to us!