nothing makes it better like your two year old crawling into your lap and saying “Mama, I love you too much.”
Posts Tagged ‘Family’
When Everything Is Going Wrong…
Thursday, December 8th, 2011Cleaning Marathon and A Quick Supper
Wednesday, September 14th, 2011I went on a cleaning marathon last week. I was a bad Mommy and baby gated my children in their room with a few toys while I cleaned. I felt bad about not having them with me. I am their Mama, little kids NEED their Mama. At the same time, I think I have to be honest. Even thought my house wasn’t as dirty as my brain said it was, there also were lots and lots of little things laying around that are dangerous to a baby that puts everything he can touch in his mouth. I started to get concerned when I started find rocks in his diaper…and then he was sucking on a stray straight pin. (scared me silly)
So, I can now honestly say that my house is clean. I have vanquished the rocks and the straight pins…and I was exhausted. After I finished cleaning, I was sitting in the kids room just being with them. Then Rachael announced she was hungry. Since our main meal of the day is at lunch time, I just made her a peanut butter sandwich.,..which she denounced as not nearly enough food. After staring in my pantry for a while, I decided that I had nothing that could be assembled into a meal quickly and easily. So, we went to the store for some macaroni and cheese — something that required almost no brain function. While we were there, I decided I should toss in some broccoli so I could at there was at least some nutrition in it. When we got home, i started the water for the pasta, and sautéed the broccoli with some onion. Once the pasta was done, I tossed the broccoli and onion in with the macaroni and cheese. It ended up being a huge hit. Rachael ate quite a bit more than I expected and my husband devoured what was left when he got home.
God’s Reminders
Sunday, June 5th, 2011We had an exceptionally warm winter 2010-2011. I spent most of it wearing short sleeves and no jacket. Then February came with the Goundhog’s Day Blizzard. When we woke up Wednesday morning, there was about a foot of snow, and it was -15 outside. (To put that in perspective, I’ve lived within 200 miles of my current residence since I was 6, the coldest I remember it ever getting was 4. Normal winter weather is in the high teens, low twenties at night.)
Spring came, the trees budded (strangely the peach trees didn’t blossom…no one’s did) the grape vines were slow to get going, but eventually they did as well. Everything did except my knee high pomegranate tree. When it was still looking like a dead stick in May, we declared it a lost cause. I was upset, I’ve wanted a pomegranate since I was little. When saw it at Wal Mart last year, I was thrilled. Bryan promised me that when we see one again, he’ll get it for me. I’ve been passively looking for one for over a month. I havent seen any.
I’ve had a bad week. The mortgage company messed up the escrow, and had to increase our bill. Edward is teething and is an inconsolable super grump about it. Rachael has been whiny, pesty and decided that she no longer believes in being potty trained. Im behind on housework, laundry, and just about everything in between. So, in trying to catch up, I was out hanging 2 loads of laundry today. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw something green. “green? the only thing over there is a dead tree”
God reminded me that He’s in control of everything. My life, my children’s lives, and…my “dead” tree.
Well…
Monday, May 23rd, 2011I had great ambitions…and I didnt even make it the first week. A cold was going around. All 4 of us got it at one point. Then we were busy on our homestead. Then we got a new stove, and in taking out the old one, discovered that there was some necessary floor repair to be done. Everything all at once, doesnt leave much time for blogging…or doing anything more than the bare minimum. So, I’m a bit behind. But that’s ok, I’m going to jump back in at Day 16 with everyone else.
Bryan and I were talking the other day about the house being so messy. It helped me to realize that my expectations are completely haywire. I am expecting perfection, all the time. And reality says that I cant have the magazine house. People, including a toddler and a baby, acctually live here. Spotless isnt going to happen anytime soon. An all or nothing approach just isn’t going to cut it.
That said, cleaner that what it is currently is definitely possible. And probably would happen if I would learn to be on the computer less. It is a time eater.
I Cleaned my Fridge Today
Tuesday, May 3rd, 2011I discovered that since I have a two year old that can open the fridge door by herself….perhaps I should clean the fridge more often…
Happy Birthday Rachael!
Monday, January 10th, 2011
Two years ago, God blessed me with a sweet little girl. Everyone told me time goes by quickly, I didn’t realize how quickly they meant. My little girl is now walking, talking, and even old enough to ride a tricycle.
Happy Birthday Rachael!
Thankful for the Little Things
Wednesday, January 5th, 2011It’s hard to believe it is a new year already! I was super busy though the holidays. Now that it is over, I can settle into a more normal routine again.
For Christmas, we visited a non Christian half of our family. We focused more on being thankful for the family that God has given us, and well as being thankful for the stuff we have gotten, more of a second thanksgiving.
This has gotten me thinking about thankfulness.
It can be so hard to focus on the little things to be thankful for. When I think of my chickens, my first reaction is to think of all the problems we had at first. We had one get sick and nearly die. About the time it recovered, our flock of 5 was killed. We got 8 more, and then about 2 months later, 3 were killed. But, that shouldn’t be my focus. My focus should be on the 5 that were spared. Or that God saw fit to allow them to start laying in the winter (when everyone told me chickens stop laying)
A little more common among moms…when 1 child wakes up in the middle of the night after having bad dreams, and the other wont quit crying becuase they are teething. Even though I am tired, and really would like some sleep. I am thankful that God has seen fit to give me these two blessings. And, in spite of being tired, God will sustain me.
The Gift of Work
Friday, November 12th, 2010My husband has recently given me a gift. Not something expensive, or shiny, or frivolous. He installed our wood cookstove. It used to be his grandmother’s. When it was decided that she could no longer live by herself, it was given to us. I was elated. I’ve always wanted a wood stove
I have been blessed with a husband who is not afraid of work. He doesnt have a particularly physically demanding job. He manages computer servers at the university all day. Yet he his not afraid to work hard to care for his family, even giving us beyond what we need (a working heater) and giving me a want, in spite of the wood stove being much harder to install than simply replacing the gas heater.
Apron Virtues
Wednesday, November 10th, 2010
People dress nicely for their jobs, or have a specific uniform that they are to wear. But as a homemaker, my job is at home, and I dont have a dress code. So, it is easy to want to stay comfortable rather than look nice. After all, its not much fun to get baby puke all over your nice clothes, or be scrubbing toilets in them.
But, my family is worth it. I want them to see me looking nice. Not in grungy work clothes all the time. I want my husband to know he is worth it. And I want to model biblical femininity to my children. However, I still dont want to smell like baby puke all the time. So I went to wal mart, bought an apron pattern and made myself an apron. Brilliant idea didnt work.
I’m me. Which means I have to take into account that I’m clumsy, and sometimes do things without thinking. While cooking, if I’m wearing an apron, I tend to wipe my hands on myself instead of using a towel. Unfortuently, I was consistently missing the apron, and walking around with wet, or slightly greasy hand prints on my rear — not exactly modeling femininity or looking nice for my husband. I also was managing to get stuff on my skirt, just past my apron. So, I obviously needed a bigger apron.
A big, old fashion apron was something that I had wanted for a while. But, I had no idea how to go about it. I googled, trying to find a pattern, and found instructions from a website called Shepherd’s Hill, but they involved using the bodice of a dress. Not having a dress pattern to use, I couldnt use those directions. I eventually came across a site that no longer exists called intimelyfashion.com. They had a lot of neat stuff on how to style your hair, and how to make an apron like Molly’s in Wives and Daughters. I was thrilled, an bookmarked the site. They account went away before I could make the apron. But, thankfully, the wayback machine had archived them. So, here is the pattern.
(If anyone has any suggestions on how to alter it so it fits my shoulders a little better, I’d love to hear from you. I already moved the straps closer to the center in the back, which helped some…)
Along with the practical benefits of having an apron — I stay cleaner, which then makes laundry easier — fewer stains to try to remove. My apron makes a statement about me. It shouts “I am a housewife”. It has spoken to my heart. I am more in the mood to do work when I wear it. It reminds me, I am a worker at home.
October?
Monday, November 1st, 2010Where did October go?
I never realized how much more work it would be with 2 little ones instead of one. I thought I would just be able to incorporate Edward in with whatever I was doing with Rachael. But Edward has such a different personality than Rachael did.
Even when she was small, Rachael needed her alone time. Edward on the other hand, would be thrilled if I held him all the time, and he panics if I get out of sight.
Over all, we had a fairly good October. Rachael is cutting teeth, and Edward is growing tons. At his 3 week doctor’s visit, he gained 2 lbs, and had grown 2 inches. I think he’s done about the same again by 5 weeks. His 0-3 month clothes are looking to be a little small.
I’m learning to manage my time better, and life is gradually going back to normal. Children really are a blessing, and I am so thankful for the ones that God has given me.
